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nx 


-G 


t  ^  U'^'^  ^ 


Thk  Wciman  (ji-  Samakia. 

'Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  Water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never 
thirst."— John  4  ;  14. 


HRIST 


Our  S 


AVIOUR 


"  For  unto  you  is  born   this   day  in  the  city  of  David 
a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord," 


r=^ ' 


By  Mrs.  E.  G.  WHITE 


[Adapted.] 


RLVISED    EDITION 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

INTERNATIONAL  TRACT   SOCIETY, 


39  Bond  St.,  New  York,  N.  Y. 
i8  W.  5th  St.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
i2th  and  Castro  Sts.,  Oakland,  Cal 
Battle  Creek,  Mich. 
a68  Crawford  St.,  Toronto,  Ont. 

Grindelberg  15  a,  Hamburg,  Germany 

1896 


59  Paternoster  Row,  London,  England. 
14  &  16  Best  St.,  N.  Fitzroy,  Melbourne, 

Australia. 
28  A  Roeland  St.,  Cape  Town,  S.  Africa. 
Weiherweg  48,  Basle,  Switzerland. 


a 


E>'TEEED   ACCOBDING  TO  ACT  OF  CONGRESS   IN  THE   YeAR   189G,    BY 

MRS.  E.  G.  WHITE. 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington,  D,  C. 


All  Rights  Reserved. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNU 

SANTA  BARBARA 


Preface. 


HE  story  of  the  earthly  life  of  Christ  our  Saviour  is  written 
without  words  in  ten  thousand  forms  on  every  feature  of  nature, 
in  every  phase  of  human  experience,  in  every  fact  of  life.  We 
never  can  fully  realize  how  deep  is  the  impression,  how  wide- 
spread is  the  influence  of  the  life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Every  blessing  of 
every  kind  comes  to  us  through  that  connection  between  heaven  and  earth 
which  was  formed  when  the  Lord  of  glory  espoused  the  cause  of  a  world 
lost  in  sin. 

The  infinite  pathos  of  that  story  has  inspired  the  pen  of  the  learned 
and  the  tongue  of  the  eloquent.  But  it  is  best  told  in  child-like  language. 
The  wonderful  spectacle  needs  no  human  coloring.  Its  glory  surpasses  the 
art  of  men.     It  shines  brightest  in  its  own  luster. 

In  these  pages  no  effort  is  made  toward  artificial  embellishment.  The 
plain  story  is  simply  told  by  a  pen  that  is  moved  with  a  deep  sense  of  the 
infinite  proportions  of  the  subject.  The  pen  is  controlled  by  a  reverence 
for  the  sacred  theme  that  preserves  it  unmarred  by  human  suggestions, 
thus  forming  an  appropriate  sequel  to  the  angelic  announcement, — "Glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  to  men." 
We   are  wont  to  sing  in  the  familiar  song  — 

"Tell  me  the  story  simply,  as  to  a  little  child." 


The  author  has  done  this, 
and  purity  of  faith. 


May  it  be  received  in  the  same  simplicity 

G.  c.  T. 


[5] 


Qontents. 


Child-Life  of  Christ    ......  9 

The  Birth  of  Jesus            .....  25 

Presented  in  the  Temple         .              .              .              .  .29 

The  Yisit  of  the  Wise  Men          ....  85 

From  Childhood  to  Manhood  .              .              .              .  .39 

The  Temptation      .              .              .              .              .              .  44 

Early  Ministry             .              ,              .              .              .  .49 

Teachings  of  Jesus              .              .              .              .              .  61 

The  Good  Shepherd     .              .              .              .              .  .59 

Riding  into  Jerusalem        .              ...              .              .  65 

Take  These  Things  Hence        ,              .              .              .  .71 

The  Passover  Supper          .....  77 

At  Gethsemane             .              .              .              .              .  .81 

The  Betrayal  and  Arrest              ....  88 

Before  Annas,  Caiaphas,  and  the  Sanhedrim               .  .93 

Judas           .......  101 

Before  Pilate               .              .              .              .              .  .104 

Before  Herod         ......  Ill 

Condemned  by  Pilate  .              .              .              .              .  .117 

Calvary      .  .  .  .  .  .  .123 

Death  of  Christ           .              .              .              .              .  .129 

In  Joseph's  Tomb   ......  133 

He  is  Risen      .......     139 

Go  Tell  My  Disciples        .....  142 

"Witnesses  .......     147 

This  Same  Jesus     ......  153 

Their  Ascended  Lord  .              .              .              .              .  .156 

[6] 


Illustrations. 


Frontispiece  .  .  .2 
The  Child  Jesus  Among  the  Doc- 
tors ...  8 
Angels  Appearing  to  the  Shep- 
herds ...  24 
The  Babe  in  the  Manger  .  25 
The  Journey  to  Bethlehem  26 
Visit  of  the  Shepherds  .  .  28 
In  Bondage  ...  29 
Presentation  at  the  Temple  .  30 
Passover  Scenes  .  .  31 
Journey  of  the  Wise  Men  .  34 
Presenting  Gifts  .  .  35 
The  New  Star  .  ,  .  36 
The  Heavenly  Dove  .  .  39 
The  Journey  to  Egypt  .  .  40 
The  Carpenter  Shop  at  Xazaketti  42 
Going  into  the  Wilderness  .  44 
The  Temptation  .  .  45 
Return  to  the  Jordan  ,  48 
Turning  Water  into  Wine  .  49 
In  the  Synagogue  at  Nazareth  50 
Healing  the  Withered  Arm  51 
The  Disciples  Plucking  Corn  .  52 
Take  up  Thy  Bed  and  Walk  57 
Raising  the  Daughter  of  Jairus  59 
I  am  the  Good  Shepherd  .  GO 
Viewing  Jerusalem  .  .  64 
Loosing  the  Colt  .  .  G5 
Riding  toward  Jerusalem  .  66 
Burning  of  Jerusalem  .  69 
Healing  the  Sick  .  71 
Cleansing  the  Temple  .  72 
Children's  Hosannahs  .  .  74 
The  Last  Supper  .  .  76 
Ordinance  of  Humility  .  .  80 
Agony  in  the  Garden            ,  82 


AVaking  the  Sleeping  Disciples 
Healing  the  Wounded  Ear 
The  Traitor's  Kiss 
Before  the  Sanhedrim 
Jesus  Bound 

Art  Thou  the  Son  of  God? 
He  is  Guilty 
Judas  Selling  Christ 
Judas  Returning  the  Money 
Leading  Christ  to  Pilate    . 
Before  Pilate 
Mocking  the  Saviour 
Bearing  the  Head  of  John 
The  Crown  of  Thorns 
Christ  or  Barabbas 
Scourged 

Pilate  Washing  His  Hand  5 
The  Crucifixion 
Fainting  under  the  Cross 
Nailed  to  the  Cross 
Darkness  on  Calvary 
Why  Hast  Thou  Forsaken  Me? 
Vail  of  the  Temple  Rent 
Taken  from  the  Cross 
The  Burial 
Sealing  the  Tomb 
The  Heavenly  Messenger 
Guarding  the  Tomb    . 
The  Angel  Commander   . 
Viewing  the  Tomb 
Rabboni       .   •        • 
Journey  to  Emmaus 
Peace  be  unto  You    , 
The  Ascension 
This  Same  Jesus 
Returning  to  Jerusalem 
Lift  up  Your  Heads,  O  Ye  Gates 
[7] 


pagk 
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157 


The  Child  Jesus  Among  xhe  Doctoks. 


Tt}ey  fourjd  fjim  iq  tf]e  tenjple,  sittiqg  in  the  rqidst  of  the  doctors,  both 
heariqg  then),  aqd  asking  them  questiorja." 


'V         IM-TRODU  C  TOR-r- 


v^r 


H 


^is  TVlission. 


Before  he  came  to  this  earth,  Jesus  was  a  great 
King  in  heaven.  He  was  as  great  as  God,  and  yet 
he  loved  the  poor  people  of  this  earth  so  much  that 
he  was  willing  to  lay  aside  his  kingly  crown,  his 
beautiful  robe,  and  come  to  this  earth  as  one  of  the 
human  family.  We  cannot  understand  how  Christ  be- 
came a  little  helpless  babe.  He  could  have  come  to 
earth  in  such  beauty  that  he  would  have  been  unlike 
the  sons  of  men.  His  face  could  have  been  bright 
with  light,  and  his  form  could  have  been  tall  and 
beautiful.  *  ^ 

He  could  have  come  in  such  a  way  as  to  charm  those 
who  looked  upon  him;  but  this  was  not  the  way  that  God 
planned  he  should  come  among  the  sons  of  men.  He 
was  to  be  like  those  who  belonged  to  the  human  family 
and  to  the  Jewish  race.  His  features  were  to  be  like 
those  of  other  human  beings,  and  he  was  not  to  have 
such  beauty  of  person  as  to  make  people  point  him  out 
as  different  from  others. 

He  was  to  come  as  one  of  the  human  family,  and 
to  stand  as  a  man  before  heaven  and  earth.  He  had 
come  to  take  man's  place,  to  pledge  himself  in  man's  be- 
half, to  pay  the  debt  that  sinners  owed.  He  was  to  live 
a  pure  life  on  the  earth,  and  show  that  Satan  had  told 
a  falsehood  when  he  claimed  that  the  human  family  be- 
longed to  him  forever,  and  that  God  could  not  take  men 
out  of  his  hands.  

Men  first  beheld  Christ  as  a  babe,  as  a  child.  His 
parents  were  very  poor,  and  he  had  nothing  in  this  earth 
save  that  which  the  poor  have.     He  passed  through  all 


/-J. 


r^^^ 


the  trials  that  the  poor  and  lowly  pass  through 
from  baby  hood  to  childhood,  from  youth  to  man- 
^  hood. 

T^Tearly  two  thousand  years  ago  a  voice  was  heard  in 
heaven  from  the  throne  of  God,  saying,  "Sacrifice  and 
offering  thou  didst  not  desire ;  mine  ears  hast  thou 
opened  ;  burnt  offering  and  sin  offering  thou  hast  not 
required.  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come :  in  the  volume  of 
the  book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will, 
O  my  God  :  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart. ' ' 

The  more  we  think  about  Christ  becoming  a  babe  here 
on  earth,  the  more  wonderful  it  appears.  How  can  it  be 
that  the  helpless  babe  in  Bethlehem's  manger  is  still  the 
divine  Son  of  God?  Though  we  cannot  understand  it, 
yet  we  can  believe  that  he  who  made  the  worlds,  for  our 
sake  became  a  helpless  babe. 

Though  higher  than  any  of  the  angels,  though  as  great 
as  the  Father  on  the  throne  of  heaven,  yet  he  became  one 
with  us.  In  him  God  and  man  became  one,  and  it  is  in 
this  fact  that  we  find  the  hope  of  our  fallen  race.  Look- 
ing upon  Christ  in  the  flesh,  we  look  upon  God  in 
humanity,  and  see  in  him  the  brightness  of  divine  glory, 
the  express  image  of  God  the  Father. 


Feom  his  earliest  years,  Christ  lived  a  life  of  toil.  In 
his  youth  he  worked  with  his  father  at  the  carpenter's 
trade,  and  thus  showed  that  there  is  nothing  of  which  to 
be  ashamed  in  work.  Though  he  was  the  King  of 
heaven,  yet  he  worked  at  a  humble  trade,  and  thus  re- 
buked all  idleness  in  human  beings.  All  work  done  as 
Christ  did  his  work  is  noble  and  honorable.  Those  who 
are  idle  do  not  follow  the  example  that  Christ  has  given ; 


I  MTRODUCTOF 


(h^hj^^B'  O?  (^A 


-^^^^^. 


was 


>r  from  his  childhood 
obedience  and  industry. 
He  was  as  a  pleasant  sunbeam  in  the  home  cir- 
cle. Faithfully  and  cheerfully  he  acted  his  part,  do- 
ing the  humble  duties  that  he  was  called  to  do  in  his 
lowly  life.  Christ  became  one  with  us  in  order  that  he 
might  do  us  good.  He  lived  such  a  life  of  poverty  and 
labor  as  would  help  the  poor  to  understand  that  he  could 
sympathize  with  them.  He  himself  shared  the  burdens 
of  the  lowly.     The  King  of  glory  lived  a  life  of  toil. 

The  world's  Redeemer  did  not  live  a  life  of  selfish  ease 
and  pleasure.  He  did  not  choose  to  be  the  son  of  a  rich 
man,  or  to  be  in  a  position  where  men  would  praise  and 
flatter  him.  He  passed  through  the  hardships  of  those 
who  toil  for  a  living,  and  he  could  comfort  all  those  who 
have  to  work  at  some  humble  trade. 

The  story  of  his  life  of  toil  is  written  so  that  we  may 
receive  comfort  out  of  it.  Those  who  know  the  kind  of 
life  Christ  lived,  can  never  feel  that  the  poor  are  to  be 
despised,  and  that  those  who  are  rich  are  better  than  the 
humble. 


It  is  written  of  Jesus  in  his  childhood,  "The  child 
grew,  and  waxed  strong  in  spirit,  filled  with  wisdom  ;  and 
the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him."  Every  year  his  par- 
ents went  to  the  city  of  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  feast  of 
the  Passover,  and  in  his  twelfth  year  Jesus  went  with 
them  to  the  city. 

When  the  feast  was  over,  the  parents,  forgetting  all 
about  Jesus,  started  on  their  road  home  with  some  of  their 
relatives,  and  did  not  know  that  Jesus  was  not  with  them. 
They  supposed  that  he  was  in  the  company,  and  went  a 


"c^ 


whole  day's  journey  before  they  found  out 
that  he  was  not  there.     Frightened  as  to  what  had 
become  of   him,  they  turned  back  to  the  city,   and 
for  three  days  they  sought  him  with  great  anxiety. 

"And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days,  they 
found  him  in  the  temple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  doc- 
tors, both  hearing  them  and  asking  them  questions." 
The  doctors  were  very  learned  men,  and  yet  they  were 
astonished  as  they  heard  Jesus  ask  wonderful  questions, 
and  saw  that  he  had  a  good  understanding  of  the  Bible. 
His  parents  also  listened  in  amazement,  as  they  heard  his 
searching  questions. 

Jesus  knew  that  God  had  given  him  this  opportunity 
to  give  light  to  those  who  were  in  darkness,  and  he  sought 
to  do  all  in  his  power  to  open  the  truth  to  the  rabbis  and 
teachers.  He  led  these  men  to  speak  about  different 
verses  in  the  Bible  that  told  about  the  Messiah  whom 
they  expected  to  come.  They  thought  that  Christ  was  to 
come  to  the  world  in  great  glory  at  this  time,  and  make 
the  Jewish  nation  the  greatest  nation  on  the  earth.  But 
Jesus  asked  them  what  the  Scriptures  meant  when  they 
spoke  of  the  humble  life,  the  suffering  and  sorrow,  the 
rejection  and  death,  of  the  Son  of  God. 

Though  Christ  seemed  like  a  child  that  was  seeking 
help  from  those  who  knew  a  great  deal  more  than  he  did, 
yet  he  was  bringing  light  to  their  minds  in  every  word  he 
spoke.  He  repeated  the  scripture  in  such  a  way  as  gave 
them  clear  light  in  regard  to  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world.  While  he  was  teaching  others, 
he  himself  was  receiving  light  and  knowledge  about  his 
own  work  and  mission  in  the  world  ;  for  it  is  plainly  stated 
that  Christ  ' '  grew  in  knowledge. ' ' 


12 


t  i  A.viUiiii  ii:iii::'...:miiiiaiaji<l 

'J   ,    IjpRESEriTATlOtlinTEIPltE 

M 

%M 

'  '■'•W'p-^^di 

^^ 


What  a  lesson  there  is  in  this  for  all  the 
youth  of   our  day.       They  may  be   like   Christ, 
and   by  studying  the  word   of   God,  by  receiving 

the  light  that  the  Holy  Spirit  can  give  them,  will  be 
able  to  bring  light  to  others.  As  they  teach  others  of 
the  grace  of  God,  God  will  give  them  new  grace  from 
heaven.  The  more  they  try  to  teact  others  about  the 
riches  of  Christ,  the  betcer  understanding  will  they  have 
of  the  plan  of  salvation,  and  the  more  richly  will  the 
grace  of  God  abide  in  their  own  hearts.  If  the  youth 
will  remain  as  humble  as  did  the  child  Jesus,  they  will 
become  light-bearers  to  the  world. 

The  wise  men  were  surprised  at  the  questions  that  the 
child  Jesus  asked.  They  wanted  to  encourage  him  in 
studying  the  Bible,  and  they  wanted  to  see  how  much  he 
knew  about  the  prophecies.  This  is  why  they  asked  him 
so  many  questions.  Joseph  and  Mary  were  as  much  sur- 
prised at  the  answers  of  their  Son  as  were  the  wise  men. 

When  there  was  a  pause,  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus, 
came  up  to  her  Son,  and  asked,  ' '  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus 
dealt  with  us  ?  Behold,  thy  father  and  I  have  sought  thee 
sorrowing. ' '  Then  a  divine  light  shone  from  Jesus'  face 
as  he  lifted  his  hand,  and  said,  ' '  How  is  it  that  ye  sought 
me  ?  Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  my  Father's  busi- 
ness ?  And  they  understood  not  the  saying  which  he 
spake  unto  them."  They  did  not  know  what  he  really 
meant  by  these  words,  but  they  knew  that  he  was  a 
true  son,  who  would  be  submissive  to  them.  Though  he 
was  the  Son  of  God,  yet  he  went  down  to  Nazareth, 
and  was  subject  to  his  parents.  Though  his  mother  did 
not  understand  the  meaning  of  his  words,  yet  she  did  not 
forget  them,  but  "kept  all  these  sayings  in  her  heart." 


I  INn-RODUCTpR'Y" 

fflil^D^PE^  OP  (5^ir?;^ 


At  the  age  of  twelve,  the  people  saw  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  resting  upon  Jesus.  He  felt 
something  of  the  burden  of  the  mission  for  which  he 
had  come  to  our  world.  His  soul  was  stirred  into  action. 
He  helped  them  to  understand  the  true  meaning  of  the 
prophets,  and  showed  them  what  the  mission  and  work  of 
the  Messiah  would  be. 

The  Jewish  people  had  wrong  ideas  about  the  Messiah 
and  his  work.  They  thought  that  when  Christ  came  in 
their  day,  he  would  do  grand  and  wonderful  things,  that 
he  would  set  them  above  all  other  people.  They  were 
looking  for  the  glory  that  will  be  seen  when  Christ  comes 
the  second  time,  and  did  not  study  the  Bible  so  that  they 
could  know  that  he  was  to  come  the  first  time  in  a  very 
lowly  way.  But  Jesus  asked  questions  about  the  scrip- 
tures that  pointed  to  his  first  appearing,  that  flashed  light 
into  the  minds  of  those  willing  to  receive  the  truth. 

Before  he  had  come  to  the  earth,  he  had  given  these 
prophecies  to  his  servants,  who  had  written  them  down, 
and  now  as  he  studied  the  Bible,  the  Holy  Spirit  brought 
these  things  to  his  mind,  and  showed  him  the  great  work 
that  he  was  to  do  in  the  earth. 

As  he  grew  in  knowledge,  he  imparted  knowledge  to 
others.  But  though  he  was  wiser  than  the  learned  men, 
yet  he  did  not  become  proud,  or  feel  that  he  was  above 
doing  the  most  humble  work.  He  took  his  share  of  the 
burden,  with  his  father,  mother,  and  brethren,  and  toiled 
to  help  support  the  family.  Though  the  doctors  had  been 
amazed  at  his  wisdom,  yet  he  obeyed  his  parents,  and 
worked  with  his  own  hands  as  any  toiler  would  work.  It 
is  stated  of  Jesus  that,  as  he  grew  older,  ' '  he  increased 
in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  man." 


14 


jr 


(fHkg^S^  OF  (h^^^X- 


The  understanding  that  he  obtained  from 
day  to  day  that  showed  him  how  wonderful  should 
be  his  mission  in  the  world,  did  not  lead  him  to 
neglect  the  most  humble  duties.  He  cheerfully  took 
up  the  work  that  children  and  youth  who  dwell  in  humble 
households  are  called  upon  to  do  ;  for  he  knew  what  it 
was  to  be  pressed  by  poverty.  He  understands  the  temp- 
tations of  children,  for  he  bore  their  sorrows  and  trials. 
Firm  and  steadfast  was  his  purpose  to  do  the  right. 
Though  others  tried  to  lead  him  to  do  evil,  yet  he  never 
did  wrong,  and  would  not  turn  away  in  the  least  from  the 
path  of  truth  and  right.  He  always  obeyed  his  parents, 
and  did  every  duty  that  lay  in  his  path.  But  his  child- 
hood and  youth  were  not  smooth  and  joyous.  His  spot- 
less life  aroused  the  envy  and  jealousy  of  his  brothers. 
They  were  annoyed  because  he  did  not  act  in  all  things 
as  they  did,  and  would  not  become  one  with  them  in  do- 
ing evil.  In  his  home  life  he  was  cheerful,  but  never 
boisterous.  He  ever  seemed  like  one  who  was  seeking  to 
learn.  He  took  great  delight  in  nature,  and  God  was  his 
teacher. 


Even  in  his  childhood  Jesus  saw  that  the  people  did 
not  live  in  the  way  that  the  Bible  pointed  out  they  should 
live.  He  studied  the  Bible,  and  followed  the  simple  hab- 
its and  ways  that  the  word  of  God  directs,  and  when  peo- 
ple found  fault  with  him  because  he  was  so  lowly  and 
simple,  he  pointed  them  to  the  word  of   God. 

His  brothers  told  him  that  he  thought  himself  much 
better  than  they  were,  and  reproved  him  for  setting  him- 
self up  above  the  priests  and  rulers  of  the  people.  Jesus 
knew  that  if  he  obeyed  the  word  of  God,  he  would  not 


^^^ 


llsi-rRODVJC  TOR'T' 


^■^sr 


find  rest  and  peace  in  the  home  circle 
among  his  brothers. 
As  he  grew  in  knowledge,  he  knew  that  great  errors 
were  increasing  among  men,  and  that  because  the  people 
followed  the  commands  of  men  instead  of  obeying  the 
commands  of  God,  simplicity  and  truth  and  true  piety 
were  becoming  lost  in  the  earth.  He  saw  the  people  go- 
ing through  forms  and  ceremonies  in  their  worship  of  God, 
and  passing  by  the  sacred  truths  that  made  their  service 
of  value.  He  knew  that  their  faithless  services  could  not 
do  them  any  good,  and  would  not  bring  them  peace  or 
rest.  They  could  not  know  what  it  was  to  have  freedom 
of  spirit  when  they  did  not  serve  God  in  truth. 

Jesus  did  not  always  silently  look  upon  these  worth- 
less services,  but  sometimes  told  the  people  where  they 
were  going  wrong.  Because  he  was  so  quick  to  see  what 
was  false  and  what  was  true,  his  brothers  were  greatly 
annoyed  at  him  ;  for  they  said  that  whatever  the  priests 
taught  ought  to  be  looked  upon  as  sacred  as  a  command 
of  God.  But  Jesus  taught  both  by  his  words  and  by  his 
example  that  men  ought  to  worship  God  just  as  he  has 
directed  them  to,  and  not  follow  the  ceremonies  that  men 
have  said  ought  to  be  followed. 

His  brothers  were  greatly  put  out  because  Jesus  would 
not  do  as  their  teachers  directed,  and  followed  the  word  of 
God  rather  than  the  traditions  of  men.  The  priests  and 
the  Pharisees  also  were  annoyed  because  this  child  would 
not  accept  their  human  inventions,  maxims,  and  tradi- 
tions. They  thought  that  he  showed  great  disrespect  to 
their  religion  and  to  the  rabbis  who  had  commanded 
these  services.  He  told  them  that  he  would  heed  every 
word  that  came  from  the  mouth  of  God,   and  that  they 


16 


f^^^^!:fB  o?  (Jt^'f^KC^ 


r^^- 


must  show  him  from  the  Bible  where   he 
was  in  error.     He  pointed  out  to  them  the  fact 
that  they  were  placing  the  word  of  men  above  the 
word  of  God,  and  causing  men  to  show  disrespect  to 
God  through  obeying  the  commands  of  men. 


The  rabbis  knew  that  there  was  nothing  in  the 
Scriptures  that  would  uphold  them  in  forcing  him  to  obey 
their  traditions.  They  knew  that  he  was  far  in  advance 
of  them  in  spiritual  understanding,  and  that  he  lived  a 
blameless  life,  yet  they  were  angry  with  him  because  he 
would  not  violate  his  conscience  by  obeying  their  dictates. 
Failing  to  convince  him  that  he  ought  to  look  upon  human 
tradition  as  sacred,  they  came  to  Joseph  and  Mary,  and 
complained  that  Jesus  was  taking  a  wrong  course  in  re- 
gard to  their  customs  and  traditions. 

Jesus  knew  what  it  was  to  have  his  family  divided 
against  him  on  account  of  his  religious  faith.  He  loved 
peace,  he  craved  the  love  and  confidence  of  the  members 
of  his  family,  but  he  knew  what  it  was  to  have  them  with- 
draw their  affections  from  him.  He  suffered  rebuke  and 
censure  because  he  took  a  straightforward  course,  and 
would  not  do  evil  because  others  did  evil,  but  was  true 
to  the  commandments  of  Jehovah.  His  brothers  rebuked 
him  because  he  stood  aloof  from  the  ceremonies  that  were 
taught  by  the  rabbis  ;  for  they  regarded  the  word  of  man 
more  highly  than  the  word  of  God,  because  they  loved 
the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise  of  God. 

Jesus  made  the  Scriptures  his  constant  study,  and 
when  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  tried  to  make  him  do  as 
they  did,  and  accept  their  doctrines,  they  found  him  ready 
to  meet  them  with  the  word  of  God,  and  could  do  nothing 


II       II       IWII    ■— ■  iliPI  i|  Kiyg^?3g»^CT'?RV;^''^^r^Tp 


to  convince  him  that  they  were  right.     He 


seemed  to  know  the  Scriptures  from  beginning  to 
end,  and  repeated  them  in  such  a  way  that  theii* 
true  meaning  shone  out.  They  were  ashamed  because  this 
child  knew  more  than  they  did.  They  claimed  that  he 
ought  to  obey  them,  and  not  go  contrary  to  the  teachings 
of  the  church.  They  said  it  was  their  business  to  ex- 
plain the  Scriptures,  and  that  it  was  his  place  to  accept 
what  they  said.  They, were  angry  that  this  child  should 
dare  to  question  their  word  when  it  was  their  calling  to 
study  and  explain  the  Scriptures. 

The  scribes,  rabbis,  and  Pharisees  could  not  force 
Jesus  to  turn  from  the  word  of  God,  and  follow  the  tra- 
ditions of  men  ;  but  they  could  influence  his  brothers  in 
such  a  way  that  his  life  might  become  a  very  bitter  one. 
His  brothers  threatened  him  and  sought  to  compel  him  to 
take  a  wrong  course  ;  but  he  passed  on,  making  the  Scrip- 
tures his  guide. 


From  the  time  his  parents  found  him  in  the  temple, 
asking  and  answering  questions  among  the  doctors,  they 
could  not  understand  his  course  of  action.  Quiet  and 
gentle,  he  seemed  as  one  who  was  set  apart.  Whenever 
he  could,  he  went  out  alone  into  the  fields  and  on  the 
mountainsides  to  commune  with  the  God  of  nature. 
When  his  work  was  done,  he  wandered  by  the  lakeside, 
among  the  trees  of  the  forest,  and  in  the  green  valleys, 
where  he  could  think  about  God,  and  lift  his  soul  to 
heaven  in  prayer. 

After  a  season  thus  spent,  he  would  return  to  his 
home  to  take  up  again  the  humble  duties  of  his  life,  and 
to  give  to  all  an  example  of  patient  labor. 


18 


'V     .  I  MTRODUC~rOR>r 


(hH^^II^^  o?  (JtiK-j^KD 


r^^- 


Jesus  loved  children,  and  ever  influenced 

them  for  good.     He  cared  for  the  poor  and  needy 

even  in  his  childhood.     In  every  gentle,  tender,  and 

submissive  way,  he  sought  to  please  those  with  whom 

he  came  in  contact.     But  though  so  gentle  and  submissive, 

no  one  could  lead  him  to  do  anything  that  was  contrary 

to  the  word  of  God. 

Some  admired  his  perfection  of  character,  and  often 
sought  to  be  with  him.  But  others  who  regarded  the 
sayings  of  men  more  than  the  word  of  God,  turned 
away  from  him,  and  avoided  his  company.  Throughout 
his  childhood  and  youth  he  manifested  the  same  perfec- 
tion of  character  as  marked  his  after  life. 


As  Jesus  looked  upon  the  offerings  that  were  brought 
as  a  sacrifice  to  the  temple,  the  Holy  Spirit  taught  him 
that  his  life  was  to  be  sacrificed  for  the  life  of  the  world. 
_jr^  He  grew  up  as  a  tender  plant,  not  in  a  large  and  noisy 
city,  full  of  confusion  and  strife,  but  in  the  retired  valleys 
and  among  the  hills. 

From  his  earliest  years  he  was  guarded  by  heavenly 
angels,  yet  his  life  was  one  long  struggle  against  the 
powers  of  darkness.  Satan  sought  in  every  way  to  tempt 
and  try  him.  He  caused  men  to  misunderstand  his  words, 
80  that  they  might  not  receive  the  salvation  he  came  to 
bring  them.  He  was  opposed  both  at  home  and  abroad, 
not  because  he  was  an  evil-doer,  but  because  his  life  was 
free  from  every  taint  of  sin,  and  condemned  all  impurity. 

He  found  his  greatest  happiness  in  communing  with 
nature  and  with  nature's  God.  He  was  faithful  in  obey- 
ing the  commands  of  God,  and  this  made  him  very  differ- 
ent from  those  who  were  around  him  who  disregarded  the 


19 


9. 


word  of   God.     His  stainless   life   was   a 
rebuke,    and   many   avoided   his   presence.     But 
there  were  some  who  sought  to  be  with  him  because 
?    they  felt  at  peace  where  he  was,  he  was  so  gentle,  and 
never  contended  for  his  rights. 

His  own  brothers  scorned  and  hated  him,  showing 
that  they  did  not  believe  in  him,  and  casting  contempt 
upon  him.  In  his  home  life,  where  he  should  have  found 
peace,  he  found  strife,  envy,  and  jealousy.  He  loved  his 
brothers,  but  they  made  his  labors  unnecessarily  hard  be- 
cause he  was  so  willing  and  uncomplaining.  He  did  not 
fail  nor  become  discouraged.  He  lived  above  the  difficul- 
ties of  his  life,  as  if  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance. 
He  bore  insult  patiently,  and  in  his  human  nature  became 
an  example  for  all  children  and  youth. 


Chkist  showed  the  greatest  respect  and  love  for  his 
mother.  Though  she  often  talked  with  him  and  sought 
to  have  him  do  as  his  brothers  desired  him  to  do,  yet  h 
never  showed  her  the  least  lack  of  devotion.  His  broth- 
ers could  not  cause  him  to  change  his  habits  of  life.  He 
knew  there  was  nothing  wrong  in  thinking  about  the  works 
of  God,  in  showing  sympathy  and  tenderness  toward  the 
poor,  the  suffering,  and  the  unfortunate.  He  sought  to 
soothe  the  sufferings  of  both  men  and  dumb  animals. 

Mary  had  felt  greatly  troubled  when  the  rabbis  came 
to  her  to  complain  about  Jesus,  but  peace  and  confidence 
came  to  her  troubled  heart  as  her  Son  showed  her  what 
the  Scriptures  said  about  his  practices.  At  times  she 
wavered  between  Jesus  and  his  brothers  who  did  not  be- 
lieve that  he  was  the  Sent  of  God  ;  but  she  saw  enough 
to  show  her  that  his  was  a   divine   character.     She    saw 


r^^ 


him  giving  his  life  for  others,  meeting  the 
people  where  they  were.     She  saw  him  growing 
in  grace   and   knowledge,    and   in   favor   with   God 


and  man. 


His  life  was  as  leaven,  working  amid  the  elements  of 
society.  Harmless  and  undefiled  he  walked  amid  the 
careless,  the  thoughtless,  the  rude  and  unholy.  He 
mingled  with  the  unjust  publicans,  the  reckless  prodigals, 
the  unrighteous  Samaritans,  the  heathen  soldiers,  the 
rough  peasants,  and  the  mixed  multitudes.  He  looked 
upon  them  all  with  pity  and  love.  He  addressed  him- 
self to  them,  not  for  the  purpose  of  discouraging  and  con- 
demning them,  but  to  present  lessons  to  them  that  would 
be  a  savor  of  life  unto  life  to  those  who  should  believe. 

He  treated  every  human  being  as  having  great  value. 
He  taught  men  to  look  upon  themselves  as  persons  to 
whom  had  been  given  precious  talents,  that  if  rightly 
used,  would  elevate  and  ennoble  them,  and  secure  for 
them  eternal  riches. 

By  his  example  and  character  he  taught  that  every 
moment  of  life  was  precious,  as  a  time  in  which  to  sow 
seed  for  eternity.  From  childhood  to  manhood,  he  worked 
out  in  his  life  the  principle  of  the  law  of  God.  He  weeded 
life  of  all  vanities,  and  taught  that  it  was  to  be  cherished 
as  a  treasure,  and  be  employed  for  holy  purposes. 

He  taught  that  the  character  was  precious,  and  that 
every  moment  of  life  was  to  be  passed  in  the  service  of 
God  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  a- saving  salt  to  preserve  society 
from  moral  corruption.  Christ  passed  no  human  being  by 
as  worthless  and  hopeless,  but  sought  to  apply  the  saving 
remedy  to  every  soul  who  needed  help. 


I  MTRODUC" 


>R>' 


^JlPR^  OP  (%^J, 


*«ir-«v)" 


Wherever  he  was  found,  he  had  a  lesson 
to  present  that  was  the  right  one  for  the  time  and 
circumstance.  He  sought  to  inspire  with  hope  the 
most  rough  and  unpromising,  setting  before  them  the  idea 
that  they  might  become  blameless  and  harmless,  and  attain 
a  character  that  would  be  Christlike.  They  could  be  the 
children  of  God,  even  though  they  lived  among  evil 
people,  and  could  shine  as  lights  in  the  world.  This  was 
the  reason  that  so  many  heard  him  gladly.  From  his 
very  childhood  he  worked  for  others,  letting  his  light 
shine  amid  the  moral  darkness  of  the  world.  In  bearing 
burdens  in  his  home  life,  and  in  laboring  in  more  public 
fields,  he  showed  men  what  the  character  of  God  is.  He 
encouraged  everything  that  had  a  bearing  on  the  real  in- 
terests of  life  ;  but  he  did  not  encourage  the  youth  in 
dreaming  of  what  would  be  in  the  future.  He  taught  them 
by  his  words  and  by  his  example  that  the  future  would 
be  decided  by  the  way  in  which  they  spent  the  present. 
Our  destiny  is  marked  out  by  our  own  course  of  ac- 
tion. Those  who  cherish  that  which  is  right,  who  work  out 
God' s  plan,  it  may  be  in  a  narrow  sphere  of  action,  who 
do  right  because  it  is  right,  will  find  wider  fields  of  use- 
fulness. Those  who  are  true  to  God's  holy  command- 
ments in  a  humble  place,  are  fitting  themselves  to  do 
service  in  some  higher  position.  The  Lord  will  bless  them 
with  views  of  eternity,  will  help  them  to  purify  and  ele- 
vate their  character.  They  may  be  as  conscious  of  the 
favor  of  God  as  was  Christ. 


The  Jews  thought  themselves  better  than  other  peo- 
ple, and  held  themselves  aloof  from  other  nations  ;  but 
Jesus  mingled  with  all  classes  of  people.     He  had  come 


23 


-inTj  .riwin— sis^pi j  >■     iiwi    "ii  f"  r  Ti 


'  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost. 

The  brothers  of  Christ  were  angry  because  he  did 
not  feel  the  same  prejudice  against  the  poor  and  the 
outcast  as  they  did.  They  did  not  understand  Jesus. 
Through  childhood,  youth,  and  manhood,  Christ 
walked  alone.  In  his  purity,  in  his  faithfulness,  he  trod 
the  wine-press  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none 
with  him.  It  is  our  privilege  now  to  act  a  part  in  the 
work  and  mission  of  Christ.  "We  may  be  laborers  to- 
gether with  him.  In  whatever  work  we  are  called  to 
engage,  we  may  work  with  Christ.  He  is  doing  all  that 
he  can  to  set  us  free,  to  make  our  lives,  that  seem  so 
crajnped  and  narrow,  reach  out  to  bless  and  help  others. 

He  would  have  us  understand  that  we  are  responsible 
to  do  good,  and  to  realize  that  in  shunning  our  work  we 
are  bringing  loss  upon  ourselves.  In  his  day  he  saw 
many  that  were  falling  far  below  what  they  might  be  in 
becoming  useful.  To  those  who  were  doing  nothing,  he 
said,  * '  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle  ? ' '  We  are 
to  work  while  it  is  called  day  ;  for  the  night  cometh,  in 
which  no  man  can  work. 

Jesus  carried  the  burden  of  the  salvation  of  the  human 
family  upon  his  heart.  He  knew  that  unless  men  would 
receive  him,  and  become  changed  in  purpose  and  life, 
they  would  be  eternally  lost.  This  was  the  burden  of  his 
soul,  and  he  was  alone  in  carrying  this  load.  No  one 
knew  how  heavy  was  the  weight  that  rested  upon  his  heart. 
But  from  his  youth  he  was  filled  with  a  deep  longing  to 
be  a  lamp  in  the  world,  and  he  purposed  that  his  life 
should  be  ' '  the  light  of  the  world. ' ' 


I'a} 


AngeijS  Appeaking  to  the  Shepherds. 
"Befjold,  I  briqg  you  good  tidings  of  great  Joy." 


^he   Bii^tb  of  Jesus. 


N  the  little   town  of  Nazareth,  nestled 

among   the   hills  of   northern  Galilee, 

was  the  home  of  Joseph  and  Mary, 

who  were   afterward  known 

as    the    earthly    parents    of 

Jesus. 

Now  Joseph  was   of  the 
lineage,  or  family,  of  David  ; 
and  so,  when  a  decree   was 
sent    out    for  the  taxing  of 
^~?  ^^^  -^^  the  nation,  he  had  to  go  to 

^^m/;^^^  Bethlehem,    the   city  of   David,  to 

have  his  name  enrolled. 

This  was  a  toilsome  journey,  in  the 
way  people  had  to  travel  in  those  times,  and  Mary, 
who  accompanied  her  husband,  was  very  weary  as 
they  climbed  the  hill  on  which  Bethlehem  stands. 
How  she  longed  for  a  comfortable  place  to  rest! 
But  the  inns  were  already  full,  and  while  the  rich 
and  proud  were  well  ^ared  for,  this  humble  pair  had  to 
seek  shelter  in  a  rude  building  where  cattle  were  fed. 
They  were  not  poor ;  for  though  they  had  few 
earthly  possessions,  God   loved  them,    and  that   gave 

125] 


26 


THE    BIRTH    OF    JESUS. 


contentment  and  peace.  They  were  children  of  the 
Heavenly  King,  who  was  about  to  honor  them  above 
all   earthly    beings. 

Angels  had  been   watching  them  while   they   were 
on    their   journey, 
and  as  they  went  to 


rest  in  their  humble 
lodgings,  they  were 
not  alone :  angels 
were  still  with  them.     I 


■^^  The  Journey  to 

Bethlehem. 


It  was  here,  in  this  lowly  shed,  that  Jesus,  our 
Saviour,  was  born  and  laid  in  a  manger.  In  this 
rude  cradle  lay  the  Son  of  the  Highest, — he  whose  pres- 
ence had  lately  filled  the  courts  of  heaven  with  glory. 

There,  he  had  been  adored  by  angels  ;  here,  the 
beasts  of  the  stall  were  his  companions.  But  the  place 
could  not  dishonor  him ;   he  gave  it  a  glory  that  will 


THE    BIRTH    OF    JESUS.  27 

not  depart  from  it  so  long  as  the  name  of  Bethlehem 
is  known. 

The  priests  and  great  ones  among  the  Jews  were 
not  ready  to  welcome  the  birth  of  the  Saviour.  They 
had  not  longed  for  his  appearing,  and  were  too  proud 
to  believe  that  this  babe  in  the  manger  could  be  the 
coming  Messiah. 

So  God  sent  bright  messengers  from  his  own  throne 
of  light  to  tell  the  glad  news  to  some  humble  shepherds, 
—  godly  men,  who  were  keeping  watch  over  their  flocks 
by  night  on  the  plains  of  Bethlehem. 

These  devoted  shepherds  were  thinking  about  the 
promise  of  a  Messiah,  and  waiting  for  his  coming. 
To  these,  the  heavenly  message  could  be  revealed.  They 
could  appreciate  and  welcome  it. 

*'And,  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  them, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone  round  about  them : 
and  they  were  sore  afraid.  And  the  angel  said  unto 
them.  Fear  not :  for,  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings 
of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people.  For  unto 
you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the    Lord. 

"And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you;  Ye  shall  find 
the  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a 
manger.  And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a 
multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  praising  God,  and  say- 
ing, Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace, 
good  will  toward  men. 


28 


THE   BIRTH   OF  JESUS. 


"And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  angels  were  gone 
away  from  them  into  heaven,  the  shepherds  said  one 
to  another.  Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethlehem,  and 
see  this  thing  which  is  come  to  pass,  which  the  Lord 
hath  made  known  unto  us. 

"And  they  came  with 


Visit  of  the  Shepherds. 


haste,  and  found  Mary,  and  Joseph,  and  the  babe  ly- 
ing in  the  manger.  And  when  they  had  seen  it, 
they  made  known  abroad  the  saying  which  was  told 
them  concerning  this  child. 

''And  all  they  that  heard  it  wondered  at  those  things 
which  were  told  them  by  the  shepherds.  But  Mary 
kept  all  these  things,  and  pondered  them  in  her 
heart."  ^ 

» Luke  2 :  9-19. 


Jesus  Presented  in  the  T®"^pl®- 


OSEPH  and  Mary  were  Jews,  and 
followed  the  customs  of  their  na- 
tion. When  the  infant  Jesus  was 
eight  days  old,  he  was  circum- 
cised, according  to  the  com- 
mandment given  to  Abraham.^ 
In  this,  God  would  have  an 
example  of  obedience  set  by 
his  own  Son,  the  Prince  of 
heaven. 


At  one  time  the  Children  of  Israel 
dwelt  in  Egypt  for  many  years.  When 
the  Egyptians  had  grown  cruel  to  them,  and 
tried  to  make  them  slaves,  God  raised  up  Moses  to 
set  them   free. 

The  king  of  Egypt  refused  to  let  the  Israelites 
go  ;  so  God  sent  fearful  plagues  upon  the  Egyptians. 
The  last  of  these  plagues  was  the  slaying  of  the 
first-born  in  every  house,  from  the  palace  of  the  king 
to  the  lowliest  dwelling  in  the  land. 

The  Lord  told  Moses  that  every  family  of  the 
Israelites  must  kill  a  lamb,  and  put  some  of  the 
blood   upon   the    door-posts  of  their   dwelling.      This 


» Gen.  17 :  12. 


[29] 


JESUS    PRESENTED    IN    THE   TEMPLE. 


31 


was  so  that  the  angel  of  death  might  jpass  over  all 
the  houses  of  the  Israelites,  and  destroy  none  but  the 
proud  Egyptians. 

This     blood    of     the 
"  passover  "    represented 
to    the   Jews   the    blood 
of   the  world's 
Redeemer      ^'rriTiiiflifiit*"  ■. 


For, 
in  due 
time,  God 
would  give 
his  dear  Son  to 
be  slain  as  the  lamb  had  been  slain ;  so  that  all 
who  should  believe  in  him  might  be  saved  from  ever- 
lasting death.  Christ  is  called  our  passover.  1  Cor- 
inthians 5:7.  He  was  *'  slain  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world."  Revelation  13  :  8.  By  his  blood 
we    are    redeemed.     Ephesians  1:7. 


32  JESUS   PRESENTED   IN   THE   TEMPLE. 

In  remembrance  of  this  great  deliverance  from 
death  by  the  plague,  and  to  keep  in  mind  the  greater 
deliverance  to  be  wrought  out  by  the  Son  of  God, 
every  first-born  man-child  was  to  be  presented  to  the 
Lord  in  the  temple.  So  when  Jesus  was  six  weeks 
old,  Joseph  and  Mary  took  him  to  the  priest,  and 
made  the  offering  required  by  the  law. 

In  the  persons  of  Joseph  and  Mary,  the  priest  saw 
nothing  remarkable.  They  were  simple  working  peo- 
ple from  Galilee.  In  the  child  Jesus  he  saw  merely 
a  helpless  infant.  Little  did  the  priest  think  that 
he  was  holding  in  his  hands  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  the  high  priest  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary. 
But  he  might  have  known  ;  for  if  he  had  been  such 
a  man  as  he  ought  to  have  been,  God  would  have 
shown  him  these  things. 

There  were  in  the  temple  at  this  very  time  two 
of  God's  true  servants.  They  had  both  grown  old  in 
the  service  of  their  heavenly  Master,  and  he  intrusted 
to  them  things  that  he  had  to  withhold  from  the 
proud  and  worldly-minded  priests. 

Simeon  had  the  promise  that  he  should  not  die 
till  he  had  seen  the  Messiah.  As  soon  as  he  saw 
Jesus  in  the  temple,  he  knew  him  to  be  the  Anointed 
of  the  Lord.  Taking  the  child  in  his  arms,  he 
blessed  God,  and  said, — 

"  Lord,  now  let  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  ac- 
cording  to  thy  word  ;   for    mine    eyes    have    seen   thy 


JESUS   PRESENTED    IN   THE    TEMPLE.  33 

salvation,  which  thou  hast  prepared  before  the  face  of 
all  people, —  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
glory  of  thy  people  Israel."^ 

Anna,  the  prophetess,  was  a  woman  of  great  age. 
She  "served  God  with  fastings  and  prayers  night 
and  day. 

''And  she,  coming  in  that  instant,  gave  thanks 
likewise  unto  the  Lord,  and  spake  of  him  to  all  them 
that  looked  for  redemption  in  Jerusalem."^ 

So  it  is  that  God  chooses  humble  people  for  his 
witnesses.  Those  that  the  world  calls  great  are  not 
often  called  to  bear  the  light  of  truth  and  mercy  to 
those  who  have  lost  their  way  in  the  dark  paths 
of    sin. 

Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  could  hardly  believe 
that  the  Lord  was  to  give  her  such  great  honor.  In 
her  joy  and  surprise  she  said,  "  My  soul  doth  mag- 
nify the  Lord."  "  For  he  that  is  mighty  hath  done 
to  me  great  things  ;    and  holy  is  his  name." 

"  He  hath  put  down  the  mighty  from  their  seats, 
and  exalted  them  of  low  degree.  He  hath  filled  the 
hungry  with  good  things  ;  and  the  rich  he  hath  sent 
empty    away."* 

2  Luke  2  :  29-32.  s  Luke  2  :  38 

*Luke  1:46,  49,  52,  58. 


The  V)isit  of  tBe  VV)ise  Men. 


OD  would  not  leave  the  people  ignoranli 
j><^  concerning  the  mission  of  his  Son.  The 
priests,  who  ought  to  have  been 
faithful  teachers  of  divine 
things,  were  in  darkness  them- 
selves. They  could  not  rec- 
ognize the  Messiah ;  but  God 
sent  angels  to  tell  the  shep- 
herds that  Christ  was  born, 
and  where  they  might  find 
him. 

So,  too,  when  Jesus  was  presented  in  the  temple, 
God  had  his  witnesses  ready.  He  had  preserved 
their  lives  till  they  had  the  joyful  privilege  of  testi- 
fying that  the  infant  Jesus  was  the  very  Christ, — 
the  Anointed  One. 

God  meant  that  others,  as  well  as  the  Jews, 
should  know  that  the  Saviour  had  come,  to  begin  his 
earthly  mission.  In  the  far  East  were  wise  men 
who  had  read  the  prophecies  concerning  the  coming 
Messiah,  and   believed   that   he  would  soon  appear. 

The  Jews  looked  upon  these  men  as  heathen  phi- 
losophers   merely.       But   these   philosophers   were   not 

3  [35] 


36 


THE  VISIT  OP  THE   WISE  MEN. 


idolaters.      They  were  honest   men,  anxious   to  know 

the  truth,  and  the  mind  of  God. 

God  looks  upon  the  heart,  and  he  knew  that  these 

men  could  be  trusted.  They  were  in  a  better  condi- 
tion to  receive  light 
from  heaven  than  were 
the    haughty    priests, 


so 


Ihtfi^w 


steeped  in  selfishness,  and  so  encased  in  pride. 

These  wise  men  had  traced  the  handiwork  of  God 
in  nature,  and  learned  to  love  him  there.  They  had 
studied  the  stars,  and  knew  their  movements.  They 
were  familiar  with  the  nightly  march  of  the  heavenly 
bodies.  If  a  star  were  missing,  they  would  know  it. 
If  a  new  one  should  appear,  they  would  hail  it  as  a 
great  event. 


THE   VISIT   OF   THE    WISE   MEN.  37 

These  men  had  noticed  in  the  sky  the  strange 
light  caused  by  the  glory  that  surrounded  the  host  of 
angels  when  they  visited  the  shepherds  on  the  plains 
of   Bethlehem. 

When  this  light  faded  away,  they  had  seen  what 
appeared  to  be  a  new  star  in  the  heavens.  They 
thought  at  once  of  the  prophecy  which  says,  *'  There 
shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  scepter  shall 
rise  out  of  Israel."^ 

Had  this  star  come  to  tell  them  that  Messiah  had 
appeared  ?  They  would  follow  it,  and  see  what  it 
would  lead  to.  It  led  them  into  Judea ;  but  when 
they  came  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  the  star  grew  dim,  and 
they  could  not  follow  it. 

Supposing  that  the  Jews  could  at  once  direct 
them  to  the  infant  Saviour,  the  wise  men  went  into 
the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  said, — 

*' Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews? 
for  we  have  seen  his  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come 
to  worship  him." 

"When  Herod  the  king  had  heard  these  things, 
he  was  troubled,  and  all  Jerusalem  with  him.  And 
when  he  had  gathered  all  the  chief  priests  and 
scribes  of  the  people  together,  he  demanded  of  them 
where  Christ  should  be  born.  And  they  said  unto 
him.  In  Bethlehem  of  Judea  ;  for  thus  it  is  written 
by  the  prophet." 

But  Herod  was  much  disturbed.     He  did  not  like 

^  Numbers  24 :  17. 


38  THE   VISIT    OF    THE   WISE    MENo 

to  hear  of  a  king  of  the  Jews  who  might  take  his 
place  in  ruling  the  nation.  So  he  had  a  private 
talk  with  the  wise  men,  enquiring  of  them  "  dili- 
gently what  time  the  star  appeared." 

Then  he  sent  them  to  Bethlehem,  and  said,  "  Go, 
and  search  diligently  for  the  young  child  ;  and  when 
ye  have  found  him,  bring  me  word  again,  that  I  may 
come  and  worship  him  also." 

When  the  wise  men  heard  what  the  king  had  to 
say,  they  took  up  their  journey  again  ;  '*And,  lo,  the 
star,  which  had  been  seen  in  the  east,  went  before 
them,  till  it  came  and  stood  over  where  the  young 
child  was."  When  they  saw  the  star  again,  they 
were  encouraged,  and  "rejoiced  with  exceeding  great 

joy." 

When  they  had  come  into  the  house  over  which 
the  star  rested,  "They  saw  the  young  child  with 
Mary  his  mother,  and  fell  down  and  worshiped  him  : 
and  when  they  had  opened  their  treasures,  they  pre- 
sented unto  him  gifts, —  gold,  and  frankincense,  and 
myrrh."  ^ 

How  readily  these  wise  men  accepted  the  infant 
Jesus  as  the  one  they  had  come  so  far  to  find. 
They  believed  the  sign  that  had  been  given  them ; 
and  as  they  worshiped,  and  poured  out  their  treasures, 
they  had  no  doubt  that  the  Saviour  of  the  world  was 
before   them. 

"Matthew  2.  2-11. 


from  Gbildbood  ^o  TVlctnbood. 


TEROD   was 


not  honest  when  he  said  he 
wanted  to  come  and  worship 
Jesus.  He  feared  that  the 
Saviour  would  grow  up  to  be 
a  king,  and  take  his  kingdom 
from  him.  He  wanted  to  know 
where  he  could  find  the  child, 
so  that  he  might  have  him 
put  to  death. 

The   wise  men  prepared  to 
return    and   tell   Herod.      But 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeared 
to  them  in   a   dream  and  sent 
them  home  another  way. 

*'And  when  they  were  departed,  behold,  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  appeareth  to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  saying. 
Arise,  and  take  the  young  child  and  his  mother,  and 
flee  into  Egypt,  and  be  thou  there  until  I  bring  thee 
word ;  for  Herod  will  seek  the  young  child  to  destroy 
him."^ 

Joseph  did  not  wait  till  morning,  but  arose  at  once 
and   started  by  night  on  his  long  journey.     The  wise 

1  Matthew  2: 13.  [39] 


I40j 


The  Joubhey  to  Egypt. 

"  Take  the  young  cljilcl  arjd  fjis  n]otf]er,  arjd  flee  into  Egypt 


FHOM  CHILDHOOD   TO   MAKHOOD.  41 

men  had  given  costly  presents  to  Jesus,  and  in  this 
way  God  provided  for  the  expenses  of  the  journey  and 
their  stay  in  Egypt,  until  they  should  return  to  their 
own  land. 

Herod  was  very  angry  when  he  found  that  the  wise 
men  had  gone  home  another  way.  In  his  wrath  he 
sent  soldiers  to  kill  **  all  the  children  that  were  in 
Bethlehem,  .  .  .  from  two  years  old  and  under,  accord- 
ing to  the  time  which  he  had  diligently  inquired  of 
the  wise  men." 

How  strange  that  a  man  should  fight  against  God ! 
What  an  awful  scene  this  slaying  of  the  innocent  chil- 
dren must  have  been !  Herod  had  done  many  cruel 
things  before,  and  God  allowed  him  to  do  this  also  ; 
but  he  did  not  live  to  do  many  more  wicked  deeds  ; 
for  he  soon  died  a  sudden  and  terrible  death. 

Joseph  and  Mary  remained  in  Egypt  till  after  the 
death  of  Herod.  Then  the  angel  appeared  to  Joseph, 
and  said,  "Arise,  and  take  the  young  child  and  his 
mother,  and  go  into  the  land  of  Israel ;  for  they  are 
dead  which  sought  the  young  child's  life."^ 

On  coming  near  to  Judea,  he  learned  that  a  son 
of  Herod  was  reigning  in  place  of  his  father.  This 
made  Joseph  afraid  to  go  there,  and  he  did  not  know 
what  to  do ;   but   God   sent  an  angel  to  instruct  him. 

Following  the  directions  of  the  angel,  Joseph  re- 
turned  to   his   old    home   in   Nazareth.      Here    Jesus 

«  Matthew  2: 16,  20. 


42 


FROM   CHILDHOOD   TO    MANHOOJ). 


remained  with   Joseph   and   Mary   till   he   was   nearly 
thirty  years  old,  and  was  "subject  unto  them." 

In  the  humble  carpenter  shop,  and  wherever  his 
labor  called  him,  the  youthful  Jesus  worked  for  wages, 
and  thus  aided  in  the  sup- 
port of  the  family. 

The  time  had  come  for 


The  Carpenter  Shop  at  Nazareth. 


Jesus  to  begin  his  ministry.  His  first  act  was  to  go 
to   the   Jordan  and  be  baptized  by   John   the  Baptist. 

John  was  sent  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  Saviour. 
While  he  was  preaching  in  the  wilderness,  God  made 
known  to  him  that  some  day  the  Messiah  would  come 
to  him  and  ask  to  be  baptized.  He  was  also  told  that 
a  sign  would  be  given  him,  that  he  might  know  cer- 
tainly who  it  was. 

When  Jesus  came,  John  recognized  in  his  face  such 
signs  of  his  holy  life  that  he  forbade  him,  saying :  — 


FROM   CHILDHOOD   TO   MANHOOD.  43 

"I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of  thee,  and  comest 
thou  to  me  ?  " 

"And  Jesus  answering  said  unto  him,  Suffer  it  to 
be  so  now ;  for  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfil  all  right- 
eousness."^ 

So  John  led  the  Saviour  down  into  the  waters  of 
the  beautiful  Jordan.  And  there  he  baptized  him  in 
the  sight  of   all  the  people. 

Jesus  was  not  baptized  to  show  repentance  for  his 
own  sins,  for  he  had  never  sinned.  He  did  it  for  sin- 
ful men,  and  to  set  an  example   for   them   to   follow. 

When  he  came  up  out  of  the  water,  he  kneeled  down 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  prayed  earnestly  to  God. 
And  his  Father  heard  that  prayer ;  for  the  heavens 
were  opened,  and  beams  of  glory  streamed  forth,  "and 
he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove,  and 
lighting  upon  him."  His  face  and  form  were  all  aglow 
with  the  light  of  the  glory  of  God. 

And  from  heaven  the  voice  of  God  was  heard  say- 
ing :  — 

"This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."  * 

This  scene  beside  the  Jordan  was  one  of  the  most 
wonderful  events  that  has  ever  taken  place  between 
heaven  and  earth.  It  was  full  of  meaning  for  sinful 
man.  The  glory  that  rested  on  Christ  was  a  pledge 
of  the  love  of  God  to  man. 

»  Matthew  3 :  14,  15.  *  Matthew  3 :  16, 17. 


T^be  temptation. 


FTER  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  he  was  led 
by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness, 
to  be  tempted  of  the  devil. 

As   he    left   the  Jordan,  his  face 

was    lighted  with  the  glory  which 

had  surrounded  him  there.      But 


5Jii<f^fytie 
.  _  'WTfl(o  the 
H'/fderijeiS. 


as  he  neared  the  wilderness, 
this  glory  departed.  The  sins 
of  the  world  were  pressed  upon 
him,  and  his  face  showed  such 
sorrow  and  anguish  as  man 
had  never  felt.      He  was  suffering  for  sinners. 

Our  first  parents  failed  on  the  point  of  appetite. 
It  was  this  whicli  led  them  to  disobey  God,  and  brought 
sin  and  sorrow  and  death  into  the  world.  Christ  be- 
gan where  Adam  fell.  He  suffered  the  pangs  of 
hunger  for  forty  days,  to  show  the  race  that  appetite 
may  be  overcome. 

The  length  of  the  fast  endured  by  the  Saviour  is 
the  strongest  evidence  of  the  sinfulness  of  debased 
appetite,  and  its  power  over  the  human  family. 

[44] 


taE  TfiMPTATIOif. 


45 


This  terrible  trial  was  not  required  because  the 
Son  of  God  needed  the  discipline.  It  was  to  teach 
mankind  that  every  indulgence  of  appetite,  bad  hab- 
its, and  passion  must  be  conquered  as  Christ  with- 
stood the  cravings  of  hun- 
ger during  his  long  fast. 
As  soon  as  Christ 
began  his  fast,  Satan  ap- 
peared as  an  angel 
of  light,  and  claimed 
to  be  a  messen- 
ger from  heaven. 


cjf  God.  commaif]0|]T 

He  told  him  it  was  not  the  will  of  God  that  he  should 
suffer  this  pain  and  self-denial.  His  Father  had  only- 
wanted  him  to  show  his  willingness  to  undergo  it. 

When  Jesus  was  suffering  the  keenest  pangs  of 
hunger,  Satan  said  to  him :  — 

*'K  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  command  that  th'^se 
stones  be  made  bread." 


46  THE  TEMPTATION. 

But  the  Saviour  had  to  suffer  as  man  suflfers.  Had 
he  exercised  his  divine  power  and  worked  a  miracle, 
it  would  have  been  contrary  to  his  mission.  His  mira- 
cles were  all  for  the  good  of  others.     He  answered  :  — 

"It  is  written,  Man  shall  not  live  bj  bread  alone, 
but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  God." 

Thus  Christ  showed  that  the  want  of  food  is  much 
less  important  than  meeting  the  disfavor  of   God. 

Failing  in  this  temptation,  the  devil  carried  him  to 
a  pinnacle  of  the   temple,  and  said  to  him :  — 

"If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  cast  thyself  down; 
for  it  is  written.  He  shall  give  his  angels  charge  con- 
cerning thee  ;  and  in  their  hands  they  shall  bear  thee 
up,  lest  at  any  time  thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone." 

Here  Satan  followed  the  example  of  Christ  in  quot- 
ing Scripture.  But  Jesus  knew  that  this  promise  was 
not  given  to  those  who  wilfully  place  themselves  in  the 
way  of  danger.     Therefore  he  answered  :  — 

"It  is  written  again.  Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord 
thy  God." 

The  sin  of  presumption  lies  close  beside  the  line 
of  perfect  faith  and  trust.  We  must  have  childlike 
faith,  and  trust  our  heavenly  Father ;  but  we  must 
not  presume  on  his  mercy. 

To  refuse  to  obey  any  of  God's  requirements,  and 
then  claim  that  he  is  abundant  in  mercy,  and  will  for- 
give, is  presumption.     God  will  forgive  those  who  seek 


THE   TEMPTATION.  47 

pardon  and  put  away  their  transgression.  But  to  con- 
tinue in  refusing  to  obey,  and  yet  rely  on  God's  mercy 
for  pardon,  is  presuming  upon  his  forgiveness. 

Satan  next  took  Jesus  to  the  top  of  a  high  moun- 
tain, and  showed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world. 
The  sunlight  lay  on  templed  cities,  marble  palaces,  fruit- 
ful fields  and  vineyards,  gilding  the  dark  cedars  of  Leb- 
anon and  the  blue  waters  of  Galilee.    And  Satan  said  :  — 

"All  these  things  will  I  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt 
I   fall  down  and  worship  me." 

Jesus  viewed  the  scene  for  only  a  moment,  and  then 
I  turned  resolutely  from  it.  He  would  not  dally  with  the 
temptation  by  even  looking  at  it.  The  love  of  the 
world,  the  lust  for  power,  and  the  pride  of  life  were 
all  embraced  in  this  temptation.  Anything  that  draws 
mankind  from  the  worship  of  the  true  God  has  its 
example  in  this  last  great  trial  of  the  Saviour. 

"  Then  saith  Jesus  unto  him,  Get  thee  hence,  Satan  : 
for  it  is  written.  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve."* 

The  indignation  of  Christ  was  aroused,  and  he 
exercised  his  divine  authority  in  the  words,  "Get  thee 
hence."  Satan  had  no  power  to  withstand  this  com- 
mand.     He  was  obliged  to  go. 

Writhing-  with  baffled  hate  and  rage,  the  rebel 
chief  left  the  presence  of  the  world's  Redeemer.  The 
contest  was  ended.  Christ's  victory  was  as  complete 
as  had  been  the  failure  of  Adam. 


»Matthew4:3-10. 


Return  to  the  Jordan. 
'Behold  the  Larrjb  of  God,  u/fjich  taketf)  away  the  sirj  of  tfje  ujorld." 


Garli;  Ministrvf. 


FTER  the  temptation  Jesus  returned  to  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan,  and  mingled 
with  the  disciples  of  John. 

At  that  time  men  from  the  rul- 
ers at  Jerusalem  were  questioning 
John    as    to    his   authority    for 
teaching  the   people   and   bap- 
tizing.    They  asked  if  he  was 
the  Messiah,  or  Elias,  or  ''that 
prophet"  (referring  to  Moses). 
To  all  of  which  he  answered, 
"I  am  not."      They  asked:  — 
*  Who  art  thou  ?  that  we  may  give  an  answer  to 
them  that  sent  us  ? " 

''He  said,  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
wilderness.  Make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  said 
the  prophet  Esaias."^ 

At  this  moment  John  saw  Jesus  on  the  banks  of 
the  Jordan.  His  face  lighted  up  as  he  pointed  to  him 
and  said  :  —  ; 

"There  standeth  one  among  you,  whom  ye  know 
not ;  he  it  is,  who  coming  after  me  is  preferred  before 

1  John  1 :  22,  23;  Isaiah  40 : 3. 

[49] 


50 


EARLY  MINISTRY. 


me,  whose  shoe's  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose."^ 
The  next  day  John  again  saw  Jesus,  and  cried:  — 
"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world ! " 

Two  of  the  disciples  of  John  hearing  this,  followed 
the   Saviour.       Other    disciples    were   chosen   as   they 

journeyed    on    their  way    to 
Galilee.  • 

At  the  marriage  in  Cana 


In  the  Synagogue  at  Nazareth. 

of  Galilee  he  performed  the 
wonderful  miracle  of  turning  water  into  wine.  This 
act  was  a  symbol  of  the  means  of  salvation.  The 
water  typified  baptism,  and  the  wine  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Jesus  next  went  to  his  old  home  at  Nazareth,  and 
entered  a  synagogue  on  the  Sabbath.  He  here  pro- 
claimed his  mission  to  the  world.  But  his  hearers 
remembered  his  humble  birth,  and  that  he  was  only  a 
carpenter.  This  led  them  to  reject  their  Saviour,  and 
they  thus  lost  the  blessing  that  had  come  to  them, 

•John  1:36,  27. 


T^eaebings  of  Jesus. 


HE  religion  of  the  Jews  had 
become  little  more  than  a 
round  of  ceremonies.  As  they 
lost  sight  of  the  true  worship 
of  God  and  the  spiritual 
power  of  his  word,  they  had 
added  ceremonies  and  tradi- 
tions of  their  own  to  take 
their  place. 
Instead   of    realizing   that 

treic  fori/)  I  me  h^nd"      ^^^  ^^    blood    of    the    COmiug 

Saviour  could  cleanse  them  from  sin,  and  that  the 
power  of  God  alone  could  keep  them  from  its  power, 
they  relied  on  their  own  works  and  the  ceremonies  of 
their  religion  to  earn  them  salvation. 

The  scribes,  Pharisees,  and  rulers  had  become  a 
self-righteous  class.  Jesus  knowing  their  true  condi- 
tion, rebuked  them  many  times.  He  at  one  time 
described  them  in  the  following  words :  — 

**Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites! 
for  ye  are  like  unto  whited  sepulchers,  which  indeed 
appear  beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  full  of  dead 
men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness.      Even  so  ye  also 

4  [511 


L52] 


The  Disciples  Plucking  Corn. 


"Befjotd,  tfjy  disciples  do  that  wfjicl]  is  rjot  lawful  to  do  upon 
tfje  Sabbath  day." 


TEACHINGS   OF  JESUS.  53 

outwardly  appear  righteous  unto  men,  but  within  ye 
are  full  of  hypocrisy  and  iniquity."^ 

The  Saviour  came  to  restore  the  true  worship  of 
God,  and  strip  from  it  the  burdensome  traditions  which 
had  been  built  around  it.  He  came  to  bring  in  a 
pure,  heart  religion,  that  would  manifest  itself  in  a 
pure  life  and  a  holy  character 

In  the  beautiful  sermon  on  the  mount  he  pro- 
nounced special  blessings  on  the  ''  poor  in  spirit,"  the 
ones  that  "mourn,"  the  *'meek,"  those  who  ** hun- 
ger and  thirst  after  righteousness,"  the  "merciful," 
the  "pure  in  heart,"  the  "peacemakers,"  and  those 
who  are  "persecuted"  and  "reviled"  for  righteous- 
ness' sake.^ 

This  kind  of  religion  found  no  favor  with  the  self- 
righteous  rulers  of  Israel.  And  as  they  saw  the  deep 
interest  attending  the  work  of  Christ,  they  became 
alarmed.  Their  false  theories  and  works  were  being 
shown  to  the  people,  and  they  were  losing  influence. 
So  they  used  every  means  at  their  command  to  hinder 
the  Saviour  in  his  work. 

One  Sabbath  day,  as  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were 
passing  through  a  field  of  grain,  the  disciples  broke 
off  some  of  the  heads,  rubbed  them  in  their  hands, 
and  ate  the  kernels,  for  they  were  hungry.  But  spies 
were  always  on  his  track.  They  were  watching  for 
some    occasion  to   accuse    and   condemn   him.      When 

» Matthew  23 :  37,  38.  «  Matthew  5 : 1-13, 


M  TEACHINGS   OF  JESUS. 

they  saw  what  the   disciples  were  doing,  they  said  to 
the  Saviour :  — 

*' Behold,  thy  disciples  do  that  which  is  not  law- 
ful to  do  upon  the  Sabbath  day."^ 

But  Jesus  defended  his  followers.  He  reminded 
their  accusers  of  David,  who,  when  in  need,  had  eaten 
of  the  sacred  bread  of  the  tabernacle,  and  given  it  to 
his  hungry  followers.  If  David  might  do  this  with- 
out blame,  might  not  the  disciples  pluck  the  grain 
necessary  to  supply  the  demands  of  hunger  ? 

The  Sabbath  was  not  made  to  be  a  burden  to  man. 
It  was  to  give  him  peace  and  rest,  and  to  remind  him 
of  the  work  of  his  Creator.  It  was  to  be  a  delight ; 
therefore  our  Lord  said,  '*The  Sabbath  was  made  for 
man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath."* 

*'And  it  came  to  pass  also  on  another  Sabbath,  that 
he  entered  into  the  synagogue  and  taught ;  and  there 
was  a  man  whose  right  hand  was  withered. 

"And    the    scribes    and    Pharisees    watched    him, 
whether  he  would  heal  on  the  Sabbath  day;  that  they, 
might  find  an  accusation  against  him.  .^ 

"But  he  knew  their  thoughts,  and  said  to  the  man 
which  had  the  withered  hand,  Rise  up,  and  stand  forth 
in  the  midst.      And  he  arose  and  stood  forth. 

'  "Then  said  Jesus  unto  them,  I  will  ask  you  one 
thing :  Is  it  lawful  on  the  Sabbath  days  to  do  good? 
or  to  do  evil?  to  save  life,  or  to  destroy  it? 

'Matthew 12:2.    "  .  -    *Mairk  2 :37; 


TEACHINGS   OF  JESUS.  55 

*'And  looking  round  about  upon  them  all,  he  said 
unto  the  man,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand.  And  he  did 
so ;  and  his  hand  was  restored  whole  as  the  other. 

"And  they  were  filled  with  madness;  and  com- 
muned one  with  another  what  they  might  do  to  Jesus."  ^ 

Jesus  showed  them  how  unreasonable  they  were 
by  asking  them  a  question.  "And  he  said  unto  them, 
What  man  shall  there  be  among  you,  that  shall  have 
one  sheep,  and  if  it  fall  into  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  will  he  not  lay  hold  on  it,  and  lift  it  out  ? " 

This  they  could  not  answer.  So  he  said,  "How 
much  then  is  a  man  better  than  a  sheep  ?  Wherefore 
it  is  lawful  to  do  well  on  the  Sabbath  days."^ 

"It  is  lawful."  That  is,  it  is  according  to  law. 
Jesus  never  reproved  the  Jews  for  reverencing  the  law 
of  God,  or  for  keeping  the  Sabbath.  On  the  contrary, 
he  ever  upheld  the  law  in  all  its  completeness. 

Isaiah  prophesied  of  Christ,  "He  will  magnify  the 
law,  and  make  it  honorable."''  To  magnify  is  to  make 
larger  and  broader,  to  raise  to  a  higher  position. 

To  those  who  claim  that  Jesus  came  to  abolish  the 
law,  he  said,  "Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the 
law,  or  the  prophets ;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but 
to  fulfil."      To  fulfil  means  to  keep.     See  James  2  : 8. 

God's  law  can  never  be  changed,  for  Christ  said, 
"  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle 
shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled."^ 

•Luke  6 : 6-11.  'Matthew  12 :  11, 12. 

Usaiah  42  :  21.  'Matthew  5: 17,  1^ 


66  TEACHINGS   OP  JESUS. 

In  the  examples  given  by  Christ,  he  endeavored  to 
sweep  away  their  false  ideas,  by  making  the  Sabbath 
more  honorable  than  before.  This  lesson  teaches  that 
it  is  the  highest  type  of  Sabbath-keeping  to  engage 
in  acts  of  mercy  toward  the  suffering  on  that  day. 

When  Jesus  asked  the  question,  ''Is  it  lawful  on 
the  Sabbath  days  to  do  good,  or  to  do  evil  ?  to  save 
life,  or  to  destroy  it  ? "  he  showed  that  he  could  read 
the  hearts  of  the  wicked  Pharisees  who  accused  him. 
He  knew  that,  while  he  was  trying  to  save  life,  they 
were  hunting  his  life  with  bitter  hatred.  Was  it  bet- 
ter to  slay  upon  the  SabLath,  as  they  were  planning 
to  do,  than  to  heal  the  afflicted,  as  he  had  done  ? 
Was  it  more  righteous  to  have  murder  in  the  heart 
upon  God's  holy  day,  than  to  have  love  toward  all 
men, —  love,  which  finds  expression  in  kindness  and 
deeds  of  mercy  ? 

In  Jerusalem,  by  the  sheep  market,  there  was  a 
pool  called  Bethesda.  This  pool  was  wonderful, 
because,  at  certain  times,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went 
into  it  and  stirred  the  waters.  And  the  first  one  who 
stepped  in  after  the  waters  were  stirred  was  "made 
whole  of  whatsoever  disease  he  had." 

Many  visited  the   pool   hoping   to   be   healed ;   but' 
only  the  first  one  who  stepped  in  was  benefited  by  it, 
and  all  the  rest  were  disappointed. 

One  poor  man  had  been  afflicted  by  an  incurable 
disease  for  thirty-eight   years.      He   had  many  times  ^ 


TEACHINGS   OF   JESUS. 


57 


visited  the  pool,  but  at  each  visit  another  would  step  in 
before  him  when  the  waters  were  troubled.    His  strength 

was  about  gone,  and  he 
felt  that  unless  help 
came  soon  he   must  die. 


Jesus  visited  this 
place  one  day.  He  saw 
the  sufferer  gather  his 
feeble  energies  in  a  last 
effort  to  reach  the  water. 
But,  just  as  he  had  al- 
most gained  his  object,  ^^ 
another  stepped  in  before 
him.  In  despair  he  crept  back  to  his  pallet  to  die. 
Hope  had  forsaken  him,  for  he  was  sure  he  could  not 
live  until  the  water  should  be  stirred  again. 

But  a  pitying  face  bent  over  him,  saying :  — 


58  TEACHINGS    OF   JESUS. 

**Wilt  thou  be  made  whole?" 

He  answered,  '^Sir,  I  have  no  man,  when  the 
water  is  troubled,  to  put  me  into  the  pool ;  but  while 
I  am  coming,  another  steppeth  down  before  me." 

Had  the  poor  man  only  known  it,  there  was 
One  before  him  who  could  heal,  not  the  first  one  only, 
but  all  who  would  come  to  him.  With  a  voice  of 
command  Jesus  said  :  — 

"Rise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk." 

A  sudden  vigor  animated  the  poor  cripple.  He 
bounded  to  his  feet  at  the  Saviour's  command,  and 
stooped  to  take  up  his  bed,  which  was  only  a  rug  and 
a  blanket.  What  a  delight  it  was  to  stand  upon  his 
feet  after  so  many  weary  years  of  helplessness. 

As  he  hurried  on  toward  Jerusalem,  praising  God 
and  rejoicing  in  his  new-found  strength,  he  met  the 
Pharisees,  and  told  them  the  wonderful  cure  he  had 
experienced.  But  instead  of  rejoicing  with  him,  as 
he  expected,  they  sternly  reproved  him  for  carrying 
his  bed  on  the  Sabbath  day.  The  man  feeling  no 
guilt  for  this  deed,  boldly  replied:  — 

*'  He  that  made  me  whole,  the  same  said  unto  me. 
Take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk."^ 

They  excused  the  restored  man  from  blame,  but 
appeared  shocked  at  the  guilt  of  him  who  had  assumed 
the  responsibility  of  ordering  a  man  to  take  up  his  bed 
upon  the  Sabbath  day. 

» John  5  : 1-U. 


The  Qood   ghepberd. 


HE  life  of  the  Saviour  was  one  of 
toil  and  deprivation.  He  was 
heard  to  say  :  — 

"The  foxes  have  holes, 
and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man 
hath  not  where  to  lay  his 
head."^ 

But  while  he  disregarded 
his  own  comfort,  he  was  ever 
careful  of  others.  As  the 
watchful  shepherd  cares  for 
his  sheep,  so  he  guarded  his 
little   flock  of   earthly  followers.      He  said:  — 

*'  I  am  the  good  shepherd,  and  know  my  sheep, 
and  am  known  of  mine." 

His  love  and  care  were  not  given  to  those  only 
who  were  already  in  the  fold,  for  he  said,  *'The  Son 
of  man  has  come  to  save  that  which  was  lost."^ 

Again  he  said,  *'What  man  of  you,  having  a  hun- 
dred sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the 
ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that 
which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it  ? 


» Matthew  8:20. 


"Matthew  18: 11. 
[59] 


,:s.'"/^/«f 


h'.  h</7.,i,n^^^    ^r/ 


160] 


.^SL 


"I  Am  the  Good  Shepherd." 


THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  61 

'*And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his 
shoulders,  rejoicing.  And  when  he  cometh  home,  he 
calleth  together  his  friends  and  neighbors,  saying  unto 
them,  Rejoice  with  me  ;  for  I  have  found  my  sheep 
which  was  lost. 

*'I  say  unto  you,  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in 
heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over 
ninety  and  nine  just  persons,  which  need  no  repent- 
ance."^ 

Let  every  wanderer  from  the  fold  take  courage. 
Ibe  good  Shepherd  is  searching  for  you.  Remember 
that  his  work  is  "to  save  that  which  was  lost."  That 
means  you.  To  doubt  the  possibility  of  your  salvation 
is  to  doubt  the  saving  power  of  Him  who  purchased 
you  at  an  infinite  cost.  Let  faith  and  hope  take  the 
place  of  doubt  and  unbelief.  Look  at  the  hands  that 
were  pierced  for  you,  and  believe  in  their  power  to  save. 

And  when  you  accept  the  wonderful  invitation, 
"there  is  joy  in  heaven."  One  more  soul  is  rescued 
from  the  grasp  of  our  great  enemy, —  the  false  shepherd. 
The  Saviour  announces  to  the  heavenly  host :  — 

"Rejoice  with  me;  for  I  have  found  my  sheep 
which  was  lost." 

And  a  joyful  anthem  rings  out  from  the  angelic 
choir,  filling- all  heaven  with  richest  melody. 

Remember,  halting,  doubting  one,  God  and  Christ 
are  interested  in  you,  and  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  are 
engaged  in  the  work  of  the  salvation  of  sinners. 

•Luke  15: 4-7. 


62  THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD. 

Thp  wonderful  miracles  of  the  Saviour  prove  his 
power  to  save  to  the  uttermost.  The  loathsome  lep- 
ers were  cleansed,  the  blind  received  their  sight,  the 
lame  walked,  and  the  deaf  were  made  to  hear. 

The  paralytic  was  made  whole,  and  those  afflicted 
with  all  manner  of  diseases  were  cured  by  a  word 
from  the  Master.  And  even  the  devils  were  subject 
to  him.      They  cried  out :  — 

"Let  us  alone;  what  have    we    to    do    with   thee, 
thou    Jesus    of    Nazareth  ?    art    thou  come    to    destroy 
us?      I   know   thee   who   thou   art,    the   Holy  One  of- 
God."* 

But  at  the  command  of  Jesus  they  were  compelled 
to  leave  the  poor  souls  whom  they  were  possessing, 
and  to  come  out  of  them.  Those  who  witnessed  these 
scenes  were  astonished,  and  said  :  — 

"What  a  word  is  this!  for  with  authority  and 
power  he  commandeth  the  unclean  spirits,  and  they 
come  out  ?"^ 

Peter  could  walk  the  water  at  the  command  of  his 
Lord  until  he  took  his  eyes  off  from  his  Saviour,  and 
then  he  began  to  doubt  and  sink.  But  when  he  cried, 
"Lord,  save  me  !"^  the  hand  that  never  failed  the  one 
who  called  for  help  was  stretched  forth  and  rescued 
him  from  the  wild  billows. 

Even  the  dead  were  raised  to  life.  A  clasp  of  the 
hand,  and  the  words  "  Talitha  cumi"^  were  sufficient 
to  raise  from  the  dead  the  daughter  of  Jairus. 

« Mark  1;  24.         » Luke  4: 36.         •  Matthew  14  :  30.        » Mark  5: 41. 


THE  GOOD    SHEPHERD.  63 

Lazarus  was  raised  from  the  tomb  by  the  voice  of 
Jesus  after  he  had  been  dead  four  days.  And  the 
funeral  procession  at  Nain  was  stopped  by  Jesus,  and 
the  son  of  the  widow  was  raised   to   life    and    health. 

It  was  a  wonderful  work  done  by  the  Saviour 
during  his  ministry  on  earth.  It  was  well  defined  in 
his  answer  sent  to  John  the  Baptist.  John  was  in 
prison,  and  had  become  despondent,  and  even  doubts 
troubled  him  as  to  whether  Christ  was  indeed  the 
Messiah.  So  he  sent  some  of  his  followers  to  Jesus 
with  the  question  :  — 

"Art  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for 
another  ?  " 

The  messengers  reached  the  Saviour  while  he  was 
thronged  with  the  sick  and  suffering,  whom  he  was 
healing.      At  last  he  answered  :  — 

''  Go  and  shew  John  again  those  things  which  ye 
do  hear  and  see :  The  blind  received  their  sight,  and 
the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf 
hear,  the  dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the 
gospel  preached  to  them."^ 

For  three  years  and  a  half  the  ministry  of  Jesus 
continued.  Then,  with  his  disciples,  he  went  up  to 
Jerusalem   to   be   betrayed,  condemned,  and   crucified. 

*Matthewll  :3-5. 


Riding  into  Jei^usalem. 


ESTJS  was  nearing  Jerusalem  to  attend 

the  passover.      He  was  surrounded 

by   multitudes    who   were    also 

going   up  to   this   great   yearly 

feast. 

At  his  command,  two  of  the 
disciples   brought    an  ass's  colt 
that   he   might   ride  into  Jeru- 
salem.    They  spread  their  gar- 
ments   upon     the     beast,     and 
placed  their  Master  upon  it. 
As  soon  as  he  was  seated,  a  loud  shout  of  triumph 
rent   the   air.     The  multitude  hailed   him  as    Messiah, 
their  King.     More  than  five  hundred  years  before,  the 
prophet  had   foretold   this  scene  :  — 

*'Ke]*oice  greatly,  0  daughter  of  Zion  ;  .  .  .  behold, 
thy  King  cometh  unto  thee  ;  .  .  .  lowly,  and  riding 
upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass. "  ^ 
All  in  the  rapidly  increasing  throng  were  happy 
and  excited.  They  could  not  offer  him  costly  gifts, 
but  they  spread  their  outer  garments,  as  a  carpet,  in 
his  path.  They  broke  off  the  beautiful  branches  of 
the  olive  and  the  palm,  and  strewed  them  in  the  way. 

'  Zechariah  9 :  9.  [65] 


66 


RIDING   INTO    JERUSALEM. 


They   thought  they  were   escorting  Jesus  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  throne  of  David  in  Jerusalem. 

The  Saviour  had  never  before  allowed  his  followers 
to  show  him  kingly  honors.     But  at  this  time  he    de- 
sired especially  to  manifest  himself   to   the 
world  as  its  Redeemer. 

The    Son   of   God   was    about    to 
become  a  sacrifice  for  the 


sins  of  men.  His  church  in  all 
future  ages  must  make  his  death  a  subject  of  deep 
thought  and  study.  It  was  necessary,  then,  that  the 
eyes  of  all  people  should  now  be  directed  to  him. 

After  such  a  demonstration,  his  trial  and  crucifixion 
could  never  be  hidden  from  the  world.  It  was  God's 
design  that  each  event  in  the  closing  days  of  the 
Saviour's  life  should  be  so  plainly  marked  that  no  power 
could  cause  it  to  be  forgotten. 


RIDING   INTO    JERUSALEM.  67 

In  the  vast  multitude  surrounding  the  Saviour  were 
the  evidences  of  his  miracle-working  power. 

The  blind  whom  he  had  restored  to  sight  were 
leading  the  way. 

The  dumb,  whose  tongues  he  had  loosed,  shouted 
the  loudest  hosannas. 

The  cripples  whom  he  had  healed  leaped  for  joy, 
and  were  most  active  in  breaking  the  palm  branches 
and  waving  them  before  him. 

Widows  and  orphans  were  exalting  the  name  of 
Jesus  for  his  works  of  mercy  to  them. 

The  loathsome  lepers  who  had  been  cleansed  by  a 
word,  spread  their  garments  in  the  way. 

Those  who  had  been  raised  from  the  dead  by  the 
life-giving  voice  of  the  Saviour  were  there. 

And  Lazarus,  whose  body  had  seen  corruption  in 
the  grave,  but  who  was  now  enjoying  the  strength 
of  glorious  manhood,  now  joined  the  happy  throng 
that  was  escorting  the  Saviour  to  Jerusalem. 

As  new  numbers  were  added  to  the  throng,  they 
caught  the  inspiration  of  the  hour,  and  joined  in  the 
shouts  that  echoed  and  re-echoed  from  hill  to  hill  and 
from  valley  to  valley  :  — 

"  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David!  Blessed  is  he 
that  Cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  !  Hosanna  in 
the  highest !  "  ' 

Many  Pharisees  witnessed  this  scene,  and  were 
displeased.       They  felt  that  they  were  losing  the  con- 

5  *  Matthew  21 : 9. 


68  RIDING   INTO   JERUSALEM. 

trol  of  the  people.  With  all  their  authority  they 
tried  to  silence  them ;  but  their  threats  and  appeals 
only  increased  the   enthusiasm. 

Finding   that   they   could   not   control    the   people, 
they  pressed  through  the  crowd   to  where   Jesus   was,  , 
and  said  to  him  :  —  1 

*' Master,  rebuke  thy  disciples."  ^ 

They  declared  that  such  noisy  demonstrations  were 
unlawful,  and  would  not  be  permitted  by  the  authorities. 

Jesus  answered,  "  I  tell  you  that,  if  these  should 
hold  their  peace,  the  stones  would  immediately  cry  out."' 

This  triumphal  entry  was  in  God's  order,  and  had 
been  foretold  by  the  prophets,  and  no  earthly  power 
could  stop  it.  The  work  of  God  will  ever  go  for- 
ward, in  spite  of  all  that  man  may  do  to  hinder  or 
tear  it  down.  j| 

As  the  procession  came  to  the  brow  of  the  hill ' 
overlooking  Jerusalem,  the  full  splendor  of  the  city 
met  their  view.  The  vast  multitude  hushed  their 
shouts,  spell-bound  by  the  sudden  vision  of  beauty.  All 
eyes  turn  upon  the  Saviour,  expecting  to  see  in  his 
countenance  the  admiration  which  they  themselves  feel. 

Jesus  halted,  and  a  cloud  of  sorrow  gathered  upon 
his  countenance,  and  the  multitude  were  astonished  to 
see  him  burst  into  an  agony  of  weeping. 

Those  who  surrounded  the  Saviour  could  not  under- 
stand his  grief ;  but  he  wept  for  the  city  that  was, 
doomed.     It  had   been   the   child  of  his  care,  and  hi 

-  8  Luke  19  :  39,  40. 


RIDING   INTO   JERUSALEM. 


69 


heart  was   filled   with   anguish   as  he  realized  that  it 
would  soon  be  made  desolate. 

Had  her  people  walked  in  the  counsel  of  God,  Jeru- 
salem would  have  "  stood  forever."     She  might  have  be- 


"The  City  that  was  Doomed." 

come  the  queen  of  kingdoms, 
free  in  the  strength  of  her  God- 
given  power.  There  would 
then  have  been  no  armed 
soldiers  waiting  at  her  gates, 
no  Roman  banners  waving  from 
her  walls.  From  Jerusalem 
the  dove  of  peace  would  have  gone  to  all  nations. 
She  would  have  been  the  crowning  glory  of  the  world. 
But  they  had  rejected  their  Saviour,  and  were  about 
to  crucify  their  Redeemer.  And  when  the  sun  should 
set  that  night,  the  doom  of  Jerusalem  would  be  for- 
ever  sealed.* 

Reports    had   come   to   the   rulers   that    Jesus   was 
nearing   the    city   with   a   vast    company  of   followers. 


*  About  forty  years  afterward,  Jerusalem  was  utterly  destroyed  and  burned 
with  fire  by  the  Roman  army 


70  RIDING   INTO    JERUSALEM. 

They   went   out   to    meet   him,    hoping   to    scatter  the 
throng.     With  a  show  of  much  authority  they  asked  :  — 

"Who  is  this?"' 

The  disciples,  filled  with  a  spirit  of  inspiration, 
answered  :  — 

"Adam  will  tell  you.  It  is  the  seed  of  the  woman 
that  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head." 

"Ask  Abraham,  he  will  tell  you.  It  is  Melchisedek, 
King  of  Salem,  King  of  Peace." 

"Jacob  will  tell  you,  He  is  Shiloh  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah." 

"Isaiah  will  tell  you,  Immanuel,  Wonderful,  Coun- 
selor, the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the 
Prince  of  Peace." 

"  Jeremiah  will  tell  you.  The  Branch  of  David,  the 
Lord,  our  righteousness." 

"Daniel  will  tell  you.  He  is  the  Messiah." 

"  Hosea  will  tell  you.  He  is  the  Lord  God  of 
Hosts,   the  Lord  is  his  memorial." 

"John  the  Baptist  will  tell  you,  He  is  the  Lamb 
of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

"  The  great  Jehovah  has  proclaimed  from  his  throne, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son." 

"We  his  disciples,  declare,  This  is  Jesus,  the 
Messiah,  the  Prince  of  Life,  the  Redeemer." 

"And  even  the  prince  of  the  power  of  darkness 
acknowledges  him,  saying,  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,| 
the  Holy  One  of  God ! " 

*  Matthew  21 :  10. 


''^a]\e  These  Things  Benee." 


HE  next  day  Jesus  entered  the 
temple.  Here  he  found  the  same 
scene  of  buying  and  selling  that 
he  had  rebuked  so  sharply  three 
years  before.  As  on  the  previous 
occasion,  the  court  of  the  temple 
was  filled  with  cattle,  sheep,  and 
birds.  These  were  kept  for  sale 
to  those  who  desired  to  buy  them 
for  offerings  for  their  sins. 

Extortion  and  robbery  were  practiced  by  those 
engaged  in  this  unholy  traffic.  So  great  was  the 
babel  of  sounds  from  the  court  that  it  seriously  dis- 
turbed the  worshipers  within. 

Again  the  piercing  look  of  the  Saviour  swept  over 
the  court  of  the  temple.  All  eyes  were  turned  toward 
him.  The  voices  of  the  people  and  the  noise  of  the 
cattle  were  hushed.  All  looked  with  astonishment 
and  awe  upon  the  Son  of  God.  The  divine  flashed 
through  the  human,  and  gave  Jesus  a  dignity  and 
glory  he  had  never  exhibited  before.  The  silence 
became  almost  unbearable.     Finally  the  Saviour  spoke 

[71] 


.,^_^               .^^^P' 

,r^M|HL:.  ^^HH^HJKJSpK^' 

■  ..ais  **^^'i^^^^?w»- 

HP'                  ^"^^W    l^^Mi^  ^^T^BB 

S3l 

MM^ 

mJ^K  -^  JBP^  *^rBi 

r^p 

^^IH^^h^^^^e^  1 

H 

?^^^^^^oi 

Ig 

" 

I^^^^^He^^S^Ib^'                   >  i^'IH 

:^i^^^^^^^^^Bi^>                                                                 vissii^sMII^^^H 

r          ^^ 

JP^B^Ii^^^r^^H 

^:SmB^^^^^  l^$0^  M                          ^^Kii^ 

'^ 

^^Sa^0^   -msismliS^ 

L7ai 


Cleansing  the  Temple. 


"TAKE  THESE   THINGS  HENCE."  73 

in  clear  tones,  and  with  a  power  that  swayed  the 
people  like  a  mighty  tempest :  — 

*'It  is  written,  My  house  is  the  house  of  prayer; 
but  ye  have  made  it  a  den  of  thieves."^ 

With  still  greater  authority  than  he  had  manifested 
three  years  before,  he  commanded  :  — 

"Take  these  things  hence." 

Once  before  the  priests  and  rulers  of  the  temple 
had  fled  at  the  sound  of  this  voice.  Afterward  they 
were  ashamed  of  having  done  so.  They  felt  that 
they  would  never  surrender  in  this  manner  again. 
Yet  a  second  time  they  were  more  terrified,  and  in 
greater  haste  than  before  to  obey  his  command,  and  they 
fled  from  the  temple,  driving  their  cattle  before  them. 

The  court  of  the  temple  was  almost  immediately 
filled  with  those  bringing  their  sick  and  suffering  to 
be  healed  by  Jesus.  Some  were  in  a  dying  condi- 
tion. These  afflicted  ones  felt  their  distressing  need. 
They  fixed  their  eyes  imploringly  upon  the  face  of 
Christ,  fearing  there  to  see  the  severity  which  had 
driven  out  the  buyers  and  sellers.  But  they  saw  in 
his  face  only  love  and  tender  pity. 

Jesus  kindly  received  the  sick,  and  disease  and 
suffering  fled  at  the  touch  of  his  hand.  He  tenderly 
gathered  the  children  in  his  arms,  soothed  their  fret- 
ful cries,  banished  sickness  and  pain  from  their  little 
forms,  and  handed  them  back,  smiling  and  healthful, 
to  their  mothers. 

»  Luke  19  :  46. 


74 


TAKE   THESE   THINGS   HENCE. 


What  a  scene  to  greet  the  priests  and  rulers  as  they 
cautiously  made  their  way  back  to  the  temple  1  They 
heard  the  voices  of  men,  women,  and  children  prais- 
ing God.  They  saw  the  sick  healed,  the  blind  re- 
stored to  sight,  the  deaf  receive  their  hear- 
ing, and  the  lame  leap  for  joy. 

The    children    took    the    lead    in 
these  rejoicings.i      They  repeated  the 


ofif{€  movtHs  0/  babes  arjd 

svcklin^s  tfjou  fjast  pep/ected  pPdise" 

hosannas  of  the  day  before,  and  waved  palm  branches 
before  the  Saviour.  The  temple  echoed  and  re-echoed 
with  their  shouts  :  — 

*'Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David!" 

*'  Blessed  is  He  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord!"' 

**  Behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee  ;  he  is  just, 
and  having  salvation."^ 

«  Matthew  21:9.  »  Zechariah  9  :  9. 


*'take  these  things  hence."  75 

The  rulers  tried  to  silence  the  shouts  of  the  happy 
children,  but  all  were  filled  with  joy  and  praise  for 
the  wonderful  works  of  Jesus,  and  would  not  be  stopped. 

The  rulers  then  turned  to  the  Saviour,  hoping  that 
he  would  command  them  to  cease.  They  said  to 
him  :  — 

"Hearest  thou  what  these  say?" 

Jesus  replied,  "Yea;  have  ye  never  read.  Out  of 
the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast  perfected 

O  M  4 

praise  : 

The  blessed  privilege  of  heralding  the  birth  of  Christ 
and  forwarding  his  work  in  the  earth  had  been  re- 
fused by  the  haughty  rulers  of  the  people.  His  praises 
must  be  sounded  ;  and  God  chose  the  children  to  do 
it.  Had  the  voices  of  those  rejoicing  children  been 
silenced,  the  very  pillars  of  the  temple  would  have 
cried  out  in  the  Saviour's  praise. 

*  Matthew  21: 10. 


T"be  passover  gupf^ep. 


^HE   day  on   which   the   passover  was  to 
be  kept   had   now   come.       And   Jesus 
bade  Peter   and  John  find  a  place, 
and  prepare  the  passover  supper. 

He     told     these    disciples     that 
when     they     were     gone    into    the 
street,    they   should    meet   a   man 
bearing  a  pitcher  of  water. 

Him  they  were  to  fol- 
low, and  enter  into  the  house 
where  he  entered.  And  they 
were  to  say  to  the  goodman 
of  that  house  :  — 

"  The  Master  saith  unto 
thee,  Where  is  the  guest  chamber,  where  I  shall  eat 
the  passover  with  my  disciples  ?  "  ^ 

This  man  would  then  show  them  a  large  upper 
room  furnished  for  their  needs.  There  they  were  to 
make  ready  the  passover  supper.  And  it  all  happened 
just  as  the  Saviour  had  told  them  that  it  would. 

The  passover  suppers  which  the  disciples  had  eaten 
with   their  Master   had   always   been   seasons  of   deep 


1  Luke  23:  11. 


[77] 


78  THE    PASSOVER    SUPPER. 

interest  to  them.  But  upon  this  occasion  Jesus  was 
troubled  in  spirit. 

His  heart  was  wrung  with  grief  as  he  thought  of 
the  cruelty  and  ingratitude  which  those  he  came  to 
save  would  show  to  him. 

At  length  he  said  to  the  disciples  in  tones  of  touch- 
ing sadness  :  — 

"With  desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this  passover 
with  you  before  I  suffer."^ 

This  was  in  reality  the  last  passover  that  was  ever 
to  be  kept.  The  Lamb  of  God  was  now  to  be  slain 
for  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  when  the  Jews  sealed 
their  rejection  of  Christ  by  putting  him  to  death,  they 
rejected  all  that  gave  this  feast  its  true  value  and 
significance. 

And  Jesus  "took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and 
said :  — 

"  Take  this,  and  divide  it  among  yourselves  ;  for 
I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the 
vine,  until  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come." 

As  the  disciples  sat  at  the  passover  with  their 
Master,  they  noticed  that  he  seemed  greatly  troubled. 
A  cloud  settled  over  them  all,  and  they  ate  in  silence. 

Finally  Jesus  spoke,  and  said :  — 

"  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  that  one  of  you  shall  be- 
tray me." 

The  disciples  were  grieved  and  amazed  at  these 
words.      Each   began  to  look   into  his   heart  to  see  if 

«  Luke  22: 15. 


THE   PASSOVER   SUPPER.  79 

there  were  any  shadow  of  an  evil  thought  against  the 
Master. 

One  after  another  they  asked,  **  Lord,  is  it  I?"^ 

Judas  alone  remained  silent.  This  drew  the  eyes 
of  all  to  him.  When  he  saw  that  he  was  observed, 
he  too  asked,  "Lord,  is  it  I?" 

And  Jesus  solemnly  replied,   *'Thou  hast  said."* 

When  Judas  thus  saw  that  his  evil  purpose  was 
known,  he  arose  hastily  to  leave  'the  room.  As  he 
went  out,  Jesus  said  :  — 

''That  thou  doest,  do  quickly.'" 

The  going  of  Judas  was  a  relief  to  all  present. 
The  Saviour's  face  lighted,  and  at  this  the  shadow 
was  lifted  from  the  disciples. 

At  this  passover  supper,  Jesus  gave  his  disciples 
a  lesson  in  humility.  A  dispute  had  previously  risen 
among  them  as  to  which  of  them  should  be  greatest 
in  Christ's  kingdom. 

Having  girded  himself  like  a  servant,  the  Saviour 
washed  the  feet  of  his  disciples.  When  he  had  fin- 
ished, he  said  to  them  :  — 

"  If  I  then,  your  Lord  and  Master,  have  washed 
your  feet ;  ye  also  ought  to  wash  one  another's  feet. 
For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do 
as  I  have  done  to  you."^ 

The   disciples   were    thus    taught   that,    instead   of 

'Matthew  26  :  21,  22.  *  Matthew  26  :  25, 

«Johnl3:27.  «Johnl3:14. 


80 


THE   PASSOVER   SUPPER. 


quarreling  for   a   high   place,    each   should   count  the 
other  better  than  himself. 

"And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake 
it,  and  gave  unto  them,  saying :  — 

**  This  is  my  body,  which  is   given   for  you  ;  this 

do  in  remembrance  of 
me." 


:^ 


And  after  supper 
he  took  the  cup,  say- 
ing:— 

"  This  cup  is  the  J 
new  testament  [cove- 
nant]  in  my  blood, 
which  is  shed  for  you.'"' 

At  this  last  passover  supper  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
instituted. 

Jesus  had  many  things  to  say  to  his  disciples  before 
he  left  them.  With  the  deepest  interest  he  poured 
forth  the  burden  of  his  soul  in  words  of  comfort, 
counsel  and  prayer.  These  words  were  a  support  to 
the  disciples  in  their  time  of  trial. 


'Luke  22: 17-30. 


In    (3etbsemane. 


HE  Saviour,  during  his  ministry, 
often  spent  whole  nights  in  ear- 
nest prayer  to  his  Father.  It 
was  by  so  doing  that  he  ob- 
tained strength  and  wisdom  to 
sustain  him  in  his  work,  and 
keep  him  from  falling  under 
the  temptations  of  Satan. 

After  eating  the  passover 
supper  with  his  disciples,  Jesus 
went  with  them  to  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  where 
he  often  went  to  pray.  As  they  walked,  the  Master 
conversed  with  them,  and  instructed  them  ;  but  as  they 
neared  the  garden,  he  became  strangely  silent. 

All  his  life,  Christ  had  lived  in  the  presence  of 
his  Father.  The  Spirit  of  God  had  been  his  constant 
guide  and  support.  He  always  gave  God  the  glory 
for  his  works  on  earth,  and  said,  ' '  I  can  of  mine  own 
self  do  nothing."* 

We  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves.  It  is  only  by 
relying  on  Jesus  for  all  our  strength  that  we  can  over- 
come, and  do  his  will  on  earth.  We  must  have  the 
same  simple,  childlike  trust  in  him  that  he  had  in  his 

^  » John  5: 30.  [81] 


Laaj 


The  Agony  in  the  Garden. 


"0  my  Fattjer,  if  this  cup  n]ay  qot  pass  au/ay  from  nrie,  except  I  drink  it, 
thy  will  be  done." 


IN   GETHSEMANE.  83 

Father.      Jesus    said,    ''For   without   me    ye   can   do 
nothing."^ 

The  terrible  night  of  agony  for  the  Saviour  began 
as  they  neared  the  garden.  It  seemed  that  the  pres- 
ence of  God  which  had  been  his  support  was  no 
longer  with  him.  He  was  beginning  to  feel  what  it 
was  to  be  shut  out  from  his  Father. 

Christ  must  bear  the  sins  of  the  world.  As  they 
were  now  laid  upon  him,  they  seemed  more  than  he 
could  endure.  The  guilt  of  sin  was  so  terrible,  he  was 
tempted   to  fear  that  God  would   no  longer  love  him. 

As  the  awful  displeasure  of  the  father  against 
evil  was  felt,  the  words  were  forced  from  him,  "My 
soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death."  In 
his  sorrow  and  suffering  he  turned  to  his  disciples  for 
comfort  and  support. 

Near  the  gate  of  the  garden,  Jesus  had  left  all 
his  disciples  except  Peter,  James,  and  John,  and  had 
gone  into  the  garden  with  these  three.  They  were  his 
most  earnest  followers,  and  the  most  to  be  relied  upon. 
But  he  could  not  bear  that  even  they  should  witness 
the  suffering  that  was  to  be  pressed  upon  him.  He 
said  to  them  :  — 

"Tarry  ye  here,  and  watch  with  me."^ 

He  went  a  short  distance  from  them,  and  fell  pros- 
trate upon  the  ground.  He  felt  that  he  was  being 
separated  by  sin  from  the  father.      The  gulf  between 

2  John  15 : 5.  s  Matthew  26 :  38. 

6 


84 


IN   GETHSEMANE. 


them   appeared   so   broad,  so   black,  so   deep,  that   he 
feared  for  the  result. 

Christ  was  not  suffering   for  his  own  sins,  but  for  ] 
the  sins  of  the  world.      He  was  feeling  the  displeas- 
ure of  God  against  sin  as  the  sinner  will  feel  it  in  the  \ 

great  reckoning  day. 

In     his    agony,     Christ 
clung   to  the  cold  ground. 
From    his    pale  lips    came] 
the  bitter  cry,  "0  my; 
Father,  if  it  be  possi-j 
ble,  let  this    cup   pass 
from  me ;   never- 
theless   not    as   I 
will,  but   as  thou 
I   wilt."* 

For    an    hour 
Jesus    bore    this 
terrible    suffering 
alone.      Then  he  came  to  the  dis- 
ciples for  sympathy ;  but  no  sym- 
pathy awaited  him,  for  they  were   fast    asleep.     They 
awoke  at  the  voice    of   Jesus,  but   hardly   knew   him, 
his  face  was  so  changed  by  anguish. 

Jesus  said  to  Peter,  "Simon,  sleepest  thou  ?  couldest 
thou  not  watch  one  hour  ? "  ^  A  little  while  before, 
Peter  had  declared  that  he  could  go  with  his  Lord  t( 


*  Matthew  2G :  39. 


6  Mark  14:37. 


IN    GETHSEMANE.  85 

prison  and  to  death.  Yet  in  this  hour  of  agony  and 
temptation,  he  fell  quietly  asleep. 

John,  the  loving  disciple,  who  had  leaned  on  the 
breast  of  Jesus,  was  also  wrapped  in  slumber.  Surely 
the  love  of  John  for  his  Master,  should  have  kept  him 
awake !  The  Redeemer  had  prayed  whole  nights  for 
his  disciples,  that  their  faith  might  not  fail  them  in 
the  hour  of  trial.  Yet  they  could  not  remain  awake 
with  him  a  single  hour. 

Had  Jesus  now  asked  James  and  John,  "  Can  ye 
drink  of  the  cup  that  I  drink  of  ?  and  be  baptized 
with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with  ? "  they 
would  not  have  answered  so  readily  as  they  did  be- 
fore,  *'We  can."' 

The  heart  of  Jesus  was  filled  with  pity  and  sym- 
pathy at  the  weakness  of  his  disciples.  He  feared 
that  they  could  not  endure  the  test  that  his  suffering 
and  death  would  bring  upon  them. 

Yet  he  did  not  sternly  reprove  them  for  their  weak- 
ness. He  thought  of  the  trials  before  them,  and  said 
to  them  :  — 

"Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temp- 
tation." 

He  made  an  excuse  for  their  failure  in  duty  to- 
ward him  :  "The  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh 
is  weak."'  What  an  example  of  the  tender,  loving  pity 
of  the  Saviour  ! 

«  Mark  10  :  38,  39.  »  Matthew  26  :  41. 


86  IN    GETHSEMANE. 

Again  the  Son  of  God  was  seized  with  superhuman 
agony.  Fainting  and  exhausted,  he  staggered  back, 
and  prayed  as  before  :  — 

"  0  my  Father,  if  this  cup  may  not  pass  away 
from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thy  will  be  done."^ 

The  agony  of  this  prayer  forced  drops  of  blood 
from  his  pores.  Again  he  sought  the  disciples  for 
sympathy,  and  again  he  found  them  sleeping.  His 
presence  aroused  them.  They  looked  upon  his  face 
with  fear,  for  it  was  stained  with  blood.  They  could 
not  understand  the  anguish  of  mind  which  his  face 
expressed. 

The  third  time  he  sought  the  place  of  prayer.  A 
horror  of  great  darkness  overcame  him.  He  had  lost 
the  presence  of  his  Father.  Without  this,  he  feared 
that  his  human  nature  could  not  endure  the  test. 

The  third  time  he  prays  the  same  prayer  as  before. 
Angels  are  anxious  to  bring  relief,  but  it  may  not  be. 
The  Son  of  God  must  drink  this  cup,  or  the  world 
will  be  lost  forever.  He  sees  the  helplessness  of  man. 
He  sees  the  power  of  sin.  The  woes  of  a  doomed 
world  pass  in  review  before  him. 

He  makes  the  final  decision.  He  will  save  man  at 
any  cost  to  himself.     Again  he  prays  :  — 

*'If  this  cup  may  not  pass  away  from  me,  except  I 
drink  it,  thy  will  be  done." 

The  prayer  of  the  Saviour  now  breathes  only  sub- 
missiouc       He  falls   dying   to  the  ground,  but  a  shin-i 

=  Matthew  26  :  42. 


IN   GETHSEMANE.  87 

ing  angel  is  now  permitted  to  minister  to  him.  He 
lifts  the  head  of  the  divine  sufferer,  and  points  to- 
ward heaven.  He  tells  him  that  he  has  come  off 
victor  over  Satan.  As  the  result,  millions  will  be 
victors  in  his  glorious  kingdom. 

A  heavenly  peace  now  rested  upon  the  Saviour's 
blood-stained  face.  He  sought  his  disciples,  and  again 
found  them  sleeping.  Had  they  remained  awake, 
watching  and  praying  with  their  Saviour,  they  would 
have  received  help  for  the  trial  before  them.  Missing 
this,  they  had  no  strength  in  their  hour  of  need. 

Looking  sorrowfully  on  them,  Jesus  said,  "Sleep 
on  now,  and  take  your  rest ;  behold,  the  hour  is  at 
hand,  and  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  into  the  hands 
of  sinners." 

Even  as  he  spoke  these  words,  he  heard  the  foot- 
steps of  the  mob  in  search  of  him,  and  said  :  — 

"Rise,  let  us  be  going  ;  behold,  he  is  at  hand  that 
doth  betray  me."  ^ 

«  Matthew  26  :  45,  46. 


^he  getrai/'al  and  p^rrest. 


0  traces  of  his  recent  suffering  were 
to  be  seen  as  the  Saviour  stepped 
forth  to  meet  his  betrayer.  Stand- 
ing in  advance  of  his  disciples,  he 
asked  the  mob  :  — 

"Whom  seek  ye?" 
They    answered,     *' Jesus    of 
Nazareth." 

Jesus  replied,  "I  am  He."* 
As  Jesus  spoke  these  words, 
the  angel  who  had  recently  min- 
istered to  him  moved  between 
him  and  the  mob.  A  divine  light  illuminated  the 
Saviour's  face,  and  a  dove-like  form  overshadowed  him. 
The  murderous  throng  could  not  stand  a  moment 
in  the  presence  of  this  divine  glory.  They  staggered 
back.  The  priests,  elders,  and  soldiers  dropped  as 
dead  men  to  the  ground. 

The  angel  withdrew,  and  the  light  faded  away. 
Jesus  could  have  escaped,  but  he  remained,  calm  and 
self-possessed.  His  disciples  were  too  much  amazed 
to  utter  a  word. 

[88]  >  John  18:5. 


THE  BETRAYAL  AND  ARREST. 


89 


The  Roman  soldiers  soon  started  to  their  feet. 
With  the  priests  and  Judas,  they  gathered  about 
Christ.  They  seemed  ashamed  of  their  weakness,  and 
fearful  that  he  would  escape.  Again  the  question  was 
asked  by  the  Redeemer  :  —  ^ 

s 


"Whom  seek  ye?" 
Again  they  answered, 
sus  of  Nazareth." 

The  Saviour  then  said, 
have  told  you  that  I  am 
If  therefore    ye   seek   me, 


"I 
he. 
let 


these  [pointing  to  his  disciples]  go  their  way."* 

In  this  hour  of  trial,  Christ's  thoughts  were  for  his 

beloved  disciples.    He  did  not  wish  to  have  them  suffer, 

even  though  he  must  go  to  prison  and  to  death. 

Judas,  the   false  disciple,  did   not   forget  the  part 

he  was  to  act.     He  came  close  to  Jesus,  and  bestowed 

upon  him  the  traitor's  kiss. 

BJokal«;7,8. 


90  THE  BETRAYAL  AND  ARREST. 

Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Friend,  wherefore  art  thou 
come  ?"^  His  voice  trembled  as  he  added,  "  Betrayest 
thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss  ?  "  * 

These  gentle  words  should  have  touched  the  heart 
of  Judas  ;  but  all  tenderness  and  honor  seemed  to  have 
left  him.  Judas  had  allowed  Satan  to  take  possession 
of  him.  He  stood  boldly  before  the  Lord,  and  showed 
no  desire  to  save  him  from  the  cruel  mob. 

Jesus  did  not  refuse  the  traitor's  kiss.  In  this  he 
gave  us  an  example  of  forbearance,  love,  and  pity. 
If  we  are  his  disciples,  we  must  treat  our  enemies  as 
Jesus  did  Judas. 

The  murderous  throng  became  bold  as  they  saw 
Judas  touch  the  form  which  had  so  recently  been 
glorified  before  their  eyes.  They  now  laid  hold  of 
Jesus,  and  bound  those  hands  that  had  ever  been  em- 
ployed in  doing  good. 

The  disciples  did  not  think  Jesus  would  allow 
himself  to  be  taken.  They  knew  that  the  power  that 
could  strike  down  the  mob  as  dead  men,  could  preserve 
their  Master  from  his  enemies. 

They  were  disappointed  and  indignant  as  they  saw 
the  cords  brought  forward  to  bind  the  hands  of  Him 
whom  they  loved.  Peter,  in  his  anger,  drew  his  sword 
and  rashly  cut  off  an  ear  of  the  servant  of  the  high 
priest. 

When  Jesus  saw  what  Peter  had  done,  he  released 
his  hands,  though  held  firmly  by  the    Roman  soldiers, 

»  Matthew  26  :  50.  *  Luke  22 :  48. 


THE  BETRAYAL  AND  ARREST.  91 

and  saying,  "Suffer  ye  thus  far,"^  he  touched  the 
wounded  ear,  and  it  was  instantly  made  whole. 

He  then  said  to  Peter,  "Put  up  again  thy  sword 
into  his  place  ;  for  all  they  that  take  the  sword  shall 
perish  with  the  sword.  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot 
now  pray  to  my  Father,  and  he  shall  presently  give 
me  more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels  ?  But  how 
then  shall  the  scriptures  be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  must 
be?"*  "The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me, 
shall  I  not  drink  it  ?  "  '' 

Jesus  then  turned  to  the  chief  priest  and  the  cap- 
tains of  the  temple,  who  helped  compose  that  murder- 
ous throng,  and  said,  "Are  ye  come  out,  as  against  a 
thief,  with  swords  and  with  staves  to  take  me  ?  I  was 
daily  with  you  in  the  temple  teaching,  and  ye  took 
me  not  ;  but  the  scripture  must  be  fulfilled."® 

The  disciples  were  offended  when  they  saw  that 
Jesus  made  no  effort  to  deliver  himself  from  his 
enemies.  They  blamed  him  for  not  doing  so.  They 
could  not  understand  his  submission  to  the  mob,  and, 
terror-stricken,  they  forsook  him  and  fled. 

In  the  upper  chamber  Christ  had  foretold  this  scene. 
"Behold,  the  hour  cometh,  yea,  is  now  come,  that  ye 
shall  be  scattered,  every  man  to  his  own,  and  shall 
leave  me  alone  ;  and  yet  I  am  not  alone,  because  the 
Father  is  with  me."  ^ 

6  Luke  22:  51.  «  Matthew  26  ;  52-54.  »  John  18:  11. 

»  Mark  14  ;  48,  49.  »  John  16 :  32, 


^efope    ^nnas,    GQ'icit*^**!^,  and    tfie 

Sanhedrim. 


ESUS  was  followed  from  the  garden 
of  Gethsemane  by  the  hooting 
"^J  mob.  He  moved  painfully,  for 
his  hands  were  tightly  bound 
and  he  was  closely  guarded. 
He  was  taken  first  to  the 
house  of  Annas,  the  father-in-law  of 
Caiaphas,  who  was  the  high  priest 
that  year.  The  wicked  Annas  had  re- 
quested that  he  might  be  the  first  to 
see  Jesus  of  Nazareth  a  bound  captive.  From  this 
place  he  was  hurried  to  the  palace  of  Caiaphas. 

While  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  the  chief 
council  of  the  Jews,  were  being  called  together,  Annas 
and  Caiaphas  questioned  Jesus,  hoping  to  gain  evi- 
dence by  which  to  secure  his  condemnation. 

The  high  priest  first  questioned  him  in  regard  to 
his  disciples  and  his  doctrine.  To  this  Jesus  an- 
swered :  — 

' '  I  spake  openly  to  the  world  ;  I  ever  taught  in 
the  synagogue,  and   in   the    temple,  whither  the  Jews 

always    resort ;    and  in  secret    have    I    said   nothing." 

r93] 


94  BEFORE  ANNAS,    CAIAPHAS,    AND  THE   SANHEDRIM. 

Then,  turning  upon  the  questioner,  Jesus  said, 
"  Why  askest  thou  me  ?  Ask  them  which  heard  me, 
what  I  have  said."  ^ 

These  very  priests  had  set .  spies  to  watch  him  and 
report  his  every  word.  Through  these  spies  the  priests 
and  rulers  knew  of  his  sayings  and  of  his  works  at 
every  gathering  of  the  people  he  had  attended.  These 
spies  had  sought  to  entrap  the  Master  in  his  words, 
that  they  might  find  something  by  which  to  condemn 
him.  So  the  Saviour  said,  "Ask  them  which  heard 
me."  Go  to  your  spies.  They  heard  all  that  I  have 
said.       They  can  tell  you  what  my  teaching  has  been. 

The  words  of  Jesus  were  so  searching  and  pointed 
that  the  high  priest  felt  that  his  prisoner  was  reading 
his  very  soul. 

But  one  of  the  servants  of  the  high  priest,  assum- 
ing that  his  master  was  not  being  treated  with  proper 
respect,  struck  Jesus  in  the  face,  saying :  — 

"Answerest  thou  the  high  priest  so?" 

To  this  insulting  question  and  blow,  Jesus  mildly 
said  :  — 

"If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the  evil; 
but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me  ? "  ^ 

Jesus  could  have  summoned  legions  of  angels  from 
heaven  to  his  aid.  But  it  was  a  part  of  his  mission 
to  endure  in  his  humanity  all  the  taunts  and  insults 
that  humanity  might  heap  upon  him. 

»  John  18  :  20,  21.  .  «  John  18  :  22,  23. 


BEFORE   ANNAS,    CAIAPHAS,    AND    THE    SANHEDRIM.  95 

As  soon  as  it  was  morning,  the  members  of  the 
Sanhedrim  assembled,  and  Caiaphas  took  his  seat  as 
presiding  officer.  On  either  side  were  the  judges,  and 
the  Roman  soldiers  stood  before  them,  guarding  the 
Saviour.     Back  of  them  was  the  accusing  mob. 

Caiaphas  then  asked  Jesus  to  work  one  of  his 
mighty  miracles  before  them.  But  the  Saviour  gave 
no  sign  that  he  heard  the  request.  Had  he  responded 
by  even  one  soul-searching  look,  such  as  he  gave  the 
buyers  and  sellers  in  the  temple,  the  whole  murderous 
throng  would  have  been  compelled  to  fly  from  his 
presence. 

The  Jews  at  this  time  were  subject  to  the  Romans, 
and  were  not  allowed  to  punish  any  one  with  death. 
The  Sanhedrim  could  not  even  pass  the  death  sen- 
tence. They  could  only  condemn  the  prisoner,  and 
collect  such  evidence  to  present  to  the  Roman  gov- 
ernor, as  would  lead  him  to  pass  the  sentence  of  death. 

To  accomplish  their  wicked  purpose,  they  must 
find  something  against  the  Saviour  that  would  be  re- 
garded as  criminal  by  the  Roman  power.  They  could 
secure  abundant  evidence  that  Christ  had  spoken  against 
the  Jewish  traditions  and  many  of  their  ordinances. 
It  was  easy  to  prove  that  he  had  denounced  the  priests 
and  scribes,  and  that  he  had  called  them  hypocrites 
and  murderers.  But  this  would  not  be  listened  to  by 
the  Romans,  for  they  were  themselves  disgusted  with 
the  pretensions  of  the.  Pharisees. 


96 


BEFORE   ANNAS,    CAIAPHAS,    AND   THE   SANHEDRIM. 


Many  charges  were  brought  against  Jesus,  but  either 
the  witnesses  disagreed,  or  the  evidence  was  of  such 
a  nature  that  it  would  not  be  accepted  by  the  Romans. 
They  tried  to  make  him  speak  in  answer  to  their 
accusations,  but  he  appeared  as  if  he  had  not  heard 
them.  The  silence  of  Christ  at  this  time  had  been 
thus  described  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah :  — 

"  He  was    oppressed,  and  he 
was    afflicted,    yet    he 
opened  not  his  mouth, 
he  is    brought  as    8 
lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a  sheep  before 
her   shearers    is 
dumb,  so  he  open- 
eth  not  his  mouth. "^ 

The  priests  be- 
gan to  fear  they 
would  fail  of  ob- 
taining any  evidence  which  they  could  use  against 
their  prisoner  when  they  should  take  him  to  Pilate. 
They  felt  that  one  last  effort  must  be  made.  The 
high  priest  raised  his  right  hand  toward  heaven,  and 
addressed  Jesus  in  the  form  of  a  solemn  oath  :  — 

*'I  adjure  thee  by  the   living   God,  that   thou  tell 
us  whether  thou  be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God."^ 


'Isaiah  53: 7. 


*  Matthew  26  :  63. 


BEFORE   ANNAS,    CAIAPHAS,    AND    THE    SANHEDRIM.  97 

Jesus  never  denied  his  mission  or  his  relation  to 
the  Father.  He  could  remain  silent  to  personal  insult, 
but  he  ever  spoke  plainly  and  decidedly  when  his  work 
or  his  Sonship  to  God  were  brought  in   question. 

Every  ear  was  bent  to  listen,  and  every  eye  was 
fixed  upon  him  as  he  answered  :  — 

^^Thou  hast  said." 

In  the  custom  of  those  days  this  was  the  same  as 
answering.  "Yes,"  or,  ''It  is  as  thou  hast  said." 
This  was  the  strongest  form  of  an  affirmative  answer. 
A  heavenly  light  seemed  to  illuminate  the  pale  counte- 
nance of  the  Saviour  as  he  added  :  —  1 

"  Nevertheless  I  say  unto  you,  Hereafter  shall  ye 
see  the  Son  of  Man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power, 
and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven."^ 

In  this  statement  the  Saviour  presented  the  reverse 
of  the  scene  then  taking  place.  He  pointed  forward 
to  the  time  when  he  shall  occupy  the  position  of 
supreme  judge  of  heaven  and  earth.  He  will  then 
be  seated  upon  the  Father's  throne,  and  from  his  de- 
cisions there  will  be  no  appeal. 

He  brought  before  them  a  view  of  that  day,  when 
instead  of  being  surrounded  and  abused  by  a  riotous 
mob,  he  will  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  great  glory.  Then  he  will  be  escorted  by  legions 
of  angels.  Then  he  will  pronounce  sentence  upon  his 
enemies,  among  whom  will  be  that  same  accusing  throng. 

*  Matthew  26 :  64. 


98 


BEFORE   ANNAS,    CAIAPHAS,    AND   THE    SANHEDRIM. 


As  Jesus  spake  the  words  declaring  himself  to 
be  the  Son  of  God,  the  judge  of  the  world,  the  high 
priest  rent  his  clothes  to  show  his  horror  at  the  blas- 
phemy uttered  by  Christ.  He  lifted  his  hands  toward 
heaven,  and  said  :  — 

"He   hath   spoken   blasphemy;   what   further  need 


"He  is  Guilty,  Put  Him 
TO  Death  I " 

have  we  of  witnesses  ? 
behold,  now  ye  have  heard  his  blasphemy.  What  think 
ye?"     The  judges  answered,  " He  is  guilty  of  death." ^ 

When  the  condemnation  of  Jesus  was  thus  pro- 
nounced by  the  judges,  a  satanic  fury  took  possession 
of  the  people.  The  roar  of  voices  was  like  that  of 
wild  beasts. 

They  made  a  rush  toward  Jesus,  crying,  He  is 
guilty,  put  him  to  death !  and  had  it  not  been  for  the 

•  Matthew  26 :  65,  6a 


BEFORE    ANNAS,    CAIAPHAS,    AND    THE    SANHEDRIM.  9j9 

soldiers,  he  would  have  been  torn  into  pieces  before 
his  judges.  But  Roman  authority  interfered,  and  by 
force  of  arms  withheld  the  violence  of  the  mob. 

The  priests  and  rulers,  together  with  wicked  men, 
now  joined  in  abusing  the  Saviour.  An  old  garment 
was  thrown  over  his  head  ;  and  his  persecutors  struck 
him  in  the  face,  saying  :  — 

*' Prophesy  unto  us,  thou  Christ,  Who   is   he   that 
smote  thee  ?  "  '' 
^        When  the  garment  was   removed,  one  poor  wretch 
spat  in  the  Saviour's  face. 

^The  angels  of  God  faithfully  recorded  every  in- 
ulting  look,  word,  and  act  against  their  beloved 
Commander.  One  day  those  base  men  who  scorned 
and  spat  upon  the  calm,  pale  face  of  Christ,  will  look 
upon  it  in  its  glory,   shining  brighter  than  the  sun. 

'  Matthew  26  :  68. 


[100  J 


Judas  Selling  Christ. 

"fie  could  r]ouj  sqII  his  Lord  for  ttjirtij  pieces  of  silver." 


Judas. 


HE  Jewish  rulers  were  anxious  to 
get  Jesus  into  their  power,  but 
they  did  not  dare  to  take  him 
openly,  for  fear  of  raising  a  tu- 
mult among  the  people.  So  they 
sought  some  one  who  would 
secretly  betray  him,  and  found 
the  man  who  would  do  this  base 
act  in  Judas,  one  of  the  twelve 
^    disciples. 

Judas  had  naturally  a  strong 
love  for  money,  but  he  had  not 
always  been  wicked  and  corrupt  enough  to  do  such 
a  deed  as  this.  He  had  fostered  the  evil  spirit  of 
avarice  until  it  had  become  the  ruling  motive  of  his 
life,  and  he  could  now  sell  his  Lord  for  thirty  pieces 
of  silver,  which  was  about  seventeen  dollars.  He  could 
now  betray  the  Saviour  with  a  kiss  at  Gethsemane. 

But  he  followed  every  step  of  the  Son  of  God  as 
he  went  from  the  garden  to  the  trial  before  the  Jewish 
rulers.  He  had  no  thought  that  the  Saviour  would 
allow  j:he  Jews  to  kill  him,  as  they  had  threatened 
to  (io. 

[101] 


102  JUDAS. 

At  every  movement  he  expected  to  see  him  re- 
leased, and  protected  by  divine  power,  as  had  been  done 
in  the  past.  But  as  the  hours  went  by,  and  Jesus 
quietly  submitted  to  all  the  indignities  that  were  heaped 
upon  him,  a  terrible  fear  came  to  the  traitor,  that  he 
had  indeed  betrayed  his  Master  to  his  death. 

As  the  trial  drew  to  a  close,  Judas  could  endure 
the  torture  of  his  guilty  conscience  no  longer.  All  at 
once  a  hoarse  voice  rang  through  the  hall,  which  sent 
a  thrill  of  terror  to  the  hearts  of  all  present :  — 

*'He  is  innocent.  Spare  him,  0  Caiaphas.  He 
has  done  nothing  worthy  of  death !  " 

The  tall  form  of  Judas  was  now  seen  pressing 
through  the  startled  crowd.  His  face  was  pale  and 
haggard,  and  large  drops  of  sweat  stood  upon  his 
forehead.  He  rushed  to  the  throne  of  judgment,  and 
threw  down  before  the  high  priest  the  pieces  of  silver 
he  had  received    as   the   price  of  his    Lord's   betrayal. 

He  eagerly  grasped  the  robe  of  Caiaphas,  and  im- 
plored him  to  release  Jesus,  declaring  that  he  was 
innocent  of  all  crime.  Caiaphas  angrily  shook  him 
off,  and  answered  with  chilling  scorn  :  — 

*' What  is  that  to  us?  see  thou  to  that."^ 

Finding  his  prayers  were  in  vain,  Judas  fell  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus,  acknowledging  him  to  be  the  Son 
of  God,  begging  forgiveness  for  his  sin,  and  imploring 
him  to  exercise  his  godlike  power,  and  deliver  him- 
self from  his  enemies. 

1  Matthew  37  :  4. 


cTUDAS.  103 

The  Saviour  did  not  reproach  his  betrayer  either 
by  look  or  word.  He  knew  that  he  was  suffering 
the  bitterest  remorse  for  his  sin.  He  gazed  com- 
passionately upon  Judas,  and  said  :  — 

"For  this  hour  came  I  into  the  world." 

A  murmur  of  surprise  ran  through  the  assembly  at 
the  heavenly  forbearance  of  the  Saviour. 

Perceiving  that  his  entreaties  did  not  release  the 
prisoner,  Judas  rushed  from  the  hall,  crying  :  — 

"It  is  too  late  !      It  is  too  late  !  " 

He  felt  that  he  could  not  live  to  see  Jesus  cruci- 
fied, and,  in  an  agony  of  remorse,  went  out  and  hanged 
himself. 

Later  that  same  day,  on  the  road  from  Pilate's 
judgment  hall  to  Calvary,  there  came  an  interruption 
to  the  shouts  and  jeers  of  the  wicked  throng  who  were 
leading  Jesus  to  the  place  of  crucifixion.  As  they 
passed  a  retired  spot,  they  saw  at  the  foot  of  a  life- 
less tree  the  dead  body  of  Judas. 

It  was  a  most  revolting  scene.  His  weight  had 
broken  the  cord  by  which  he  had  hanged  himself  to 
the  tree.  In  falling,  his  body  had  been  horribly 
mangled,  and  dogs  were  now  devouring  it. 

His  remains  were  immediately  buried  out  of  sight ; 
but  there  was  less  mockery,  and  many  a  pale  face 
revealed  the  fearful  thoughts  within.  Retribution 
seemed  already  to  be  visiting  those  who  were  guilty 
of  the  blood  of  Jesus. 


I^efoi^e  Pilate. 


FTER  Jesus  had  been  condemned  by 
the  judges  of  the  Sanhedrim,  he 
was  taken  at  once  to  Pilate, 
the  Roman  governor,  to  have 
the  sentence  confirmed  and  exe- 
cuted. 

The  Jewish  priests  and  ru- 
lers could  not  themselves  enter 
the  judgment  hall  of  Pilate. 
By  the  ceremonial  laws  of  their 
nation,  they  would  become  de- 
filed by  so  doing,  and  thus  be 
debarred  from  taking  part  in  the  feast  of  the  pass- 
over. 

In  their  blindness  they  could  not  see  that  Christ 
was  the  real  passover  Lamb,  and  that  when  they 
put  him  to  death,  this  great  feast  would  lose  all  its 
meaning. 

As  Pilate  beheld  Jesus,  he  saw  a  man  of  noble 
countenance  and  dignified  bearing.  No  trace  of  crime 
was  to  be  seen  in  his  face.  Pilate  turned  to  the 
priests  and  asked  :  — 

[104] 


BEFORE    PILATE. 


105 


*'What  accusation  bring  ye  against  this  man?"^ 
His  accusers  did  not  want  to  state  particulars,  and 

so  were  not  prepared  for  this    question.      They   knew 

that  they    could    not    bring    any    truthful    evidence    on 

which  the  Roman  governor 

would  condemn  him.     So     /' . ////?y      ^| 

."<  ^ 

>  '■',  ' 

/,  /J  m 


nn  Thou  the 
Kin^ofthzJcwS?'^ 

■7^;;-,„r^ .... .:,..  ^./  '"'"^-i^v^immmmmm  mr-     ths  priests  Called  ths  false 

witnesses    to    their    aid. 
''And  they  began  to  accuse  him,  saying:  — 

"We  found  this  fellow  perverting  the  nation,  and 
forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar,  saying  that  he 
himself  is  Christ  a  King."^ 

This  was  false,  for  Jesus  himself  had  paid  tribute, 
and  had   taught   his    disciples    to   do    so.      When  the 


iJohn  18:29. 


«  Luke  23:  2. 


106  BEFORE    PILATE. 

lawyers  had  tried  to  entrap  him  in  regard  to  this  very 
matter,  he  had  said  :  — 

"Render  therefore  unto  Caesar  the  things  which  are 
Caesar's."^ 

Pilate  was  not  deceived  by  this  false  testimony. 
He  turned  to  the  Saviour,  and  asked  :  — 

"Art  thou  the  king  of  the  Jews?" 

Jesus  answered,   "Thou  sayest."^ 

When  they  heard  this  answer,  Caiaphas  and  those  i 
who  were  with  him  called  Pilate  to  witness  that  Jesus 
had  admitted  the  crime  of  which  they  accused  him.  ] 
With  noisy  cries,  they  demanded  that  he  be  sentenced 
to  death. 

As  Christ  made  no  answer  to  his  accusers,  Pilate 
said  to  him  :  — 

' '  Answerest  thou  nothing  ?  behold  how  many  things 
they  witness  against  thee  ? 

"But  Jesus  yet  answered  nothing."^ 

Pilate  was  perplexed.  He  saw  no  evidence  of  crime 
in  Jesus,  and  he  had  no  confidence  in  those  who  were 
accusing  him.  The  noble  appearance  and  the  quiet 
manner  of  the  Son  of  God  were  in  direct  contrast  to 
the  excitement  and  fury  of  his  accusers.  Pilate  was 
impressed  with  this,  and  was  well  satisfied  of  the  inno- 
cence of  Jesus. 

Hoping  to  gain  the  truth  from  the  Saviour,  he  took 
him  into  his  house,  and  questioned  him:  — 

8  Matthew  22  :  21.  *  Matthew  27 :  11.  "*  jjark  15  : 4,  5. 


BEFORE   PILATE.  107 

"Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews?" 

Christ  did  not  give  a  direct  answer  to  Pilate,  but 
asked :  — 

"Sayest  thou  this  thing  of  thyself,  or  did  others 
tell  it  thee  of  me  ?  " 

The  Spirit  of  God  was  striving  with  Pilate.  The 
question  of  Jesus  was  intended  to  lead  him  to  exam- 
ine his  own  heart  more  closely.  Pilate  understood  the 
meaning  of  the  question.  His  own  heart  was  opened 
before  him,  and  he  saw  that  his  soul  was  stirred  by 
conviction.  But  pride  arose  in  his  heart,  and  he 
answered  :  — 

"Am  I  a  Jew?  Thine  own  nation  and  the  chief 
priests  have  delivered  thee  unto  me  ;  what  hast  thou 
done  ?  " 

Pilate's  golden  opportunity  had  passed.  Jesus 
desired  Pilate  to  understand  that  he  did  not  come  to 
be  an  earthly  king,  and  so  said  to  him  :  — 

"My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world;  if  my  king- 
dom were  of  this  world,  then  would  my  servants  fight, 
that  I  should  not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews  ;  but  now 
is  my  kingdom  not  from  hence." 

Pilate  then  asked   him,   "Art   thou   a   king   then? 

"Jesus  answered.  Thou  sayest  that  I  am  a  king. 
To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I 
into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the 
truth.  Every  one  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my 
voice." 


108  BEFORE    PILATE. 

Pilate  had  a  desire  to  know  the  truth.  Ideas 
of  truth  in  the  religious  world  were  divided  then,  as 
they  are  now.  His  mind  was  confused.  He  eagerly 
grasped  the  words  of  the  Saviour,  and  his  heart  was 
stirred  with  a  great  longing  to  know  what  it  really  was, 
and  how  he  could  obtain  it.      He  asked  Jesus  :  — 

"What  is  truth?" 

But  Pilate  did  not  wait  for  an  answer.  The  tumult 
of  the  crowd  outside  the  hall  of  justice  had  increased 
to  a  roar.  He  was  recalled  from  his  position  as 
learner  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  to  that  of  the  Roman 
Governor.  He  went  out  to  the  people,  and  declared 
in  a  positive  voice  :  — 

"I  find  in  him  no  fault  at  all.'"* 

These  words  from  a  heathen  judge  were  a  scath- 
ing rebuke  to  the  base  perfidy  and  falsehood  of  the 
rulers  of  Israel  who  were  accusing  the  Saviour. 

As  the  priests  and  elders  heard  this  from  Pilate, 
their  disappointment  and  rage  knew  no  bounds.  They 
had  long  plotted  and  waited  for  this  opportunity.  As 
they  saw  the  prospect  of  the  release  of  Jesus,  they 
seemed  ready  to  tear  him  in  pieces. 

They  lost  all  reason  and  self-control,  and  gave 
vent  to  curses,  behaving  more  like  demons  than  men. 
They  loudly  denounced  Pilate,  and  threatened  him  with 
the  censure  of  the  Roman  Government.  They  accused 
Pilate  of  refusing  to  condemn  Jesus,  who,  they  affirmed, 

•John  18:  33-38. 


BEFORE    PILATE.  109 

had  set  himself  up  against  Caesar.  They  then  set  up 
the  cry  :  — 

"  He  stirreth  up  the  people,  teaching  throughout 
all  Jewry,  beginning  from  Galilee  to  this  place."  ^ 

Pilate  at  this  time  had  no  thought  of  condemning 
Jesus.  He  was  sure  of  his  innocence.  But  when 
he  heard  that  Christ  was  from  Galilee,  he  decided  to 
send  him  to  Herod,  who  was  ruler  of  that  province, 
and  was  in  Jerusalem  at  that  time.  By  this  course, 
Pilate  thought  to  shift  the  responsibility  of  the  trial 
from  himself  to  Herod. 

Jesus  was  faint  from  hunger,  and  weary  from  loss 
of  sleep.  He  was  also  suffering  from  the  cruel  treat- 
ment he  had  received.  But  Pilate  delivered  him 
again  to  the  soldiers,  and  he  was  dragged  away,  amid 
the  jeers  and  insults  of  the  merciless  mob. 

7  Luke  23  :  5. 


I^efoi^e  ^epod. 


ITHOUT  delay  Jesus  was 
hurried  to  the  judgment 
hall  of  Herod.  Herod  had 
never  met  Jesus,  but  he  had 
long  desired  to  see  him,  and 
witness  his  marvelous  power. 
As  the  Saviour  was  brought 
before  him,  the  rabble  surged 
and  pressed  about,  some  cry- 
ing one  thing  and  some  another.  Herod  commanded 
silence,  for  he  wished  to  question  the  prisoner. 

He  looked  with  curiosity  and  pity  upon  the  pale 
face  of  Christ.  He  saw  there  the  marks  of  deep 
wisdom  and  purity.  He  was  satisfied,  as  Pilate  had 
been,  that  malice  and  envy  alone  had  caused  the  Jews 
to  accuse  the  Saviour. 

Herod  urged  Jesus  to  perform  one  of  his  wonder- 
ful miracles  before  him.  He  promised  to  release  him 
if  he  would  do  so.  By  his  direction  crippled  and 
deformed  persons  were  brought  in,  and,  in  a  voice  of 
authority,  he  commanded  Jesus  to  heal  them.  But 
the  Saviour  stood  before  Herod  as  one  who  neither 
saw  nor  heard. 


112  BEFORE    HEROD. 

The  Son  of  God  had  taken  upon  himself  the  na- 
ture of  man.  He  must  do  as  man  must  do  in  similar 
circumstances.  Therefore  he  would  not  work  a  mir- 
acle to  gratify  curiosity,  or  to  save  himself  the  pain 
and  humiliation  that  man  must  endure  when  placed 
as  he  was. 

His  acciisers  were  terrified  when  Herod  demanded 
of  Christ  a  miracle.  Of  all  things,  they  dreaded  most 
an  exhibition  of  his  divine  power.  Such  a  manifes- 
tation would  be  a  death  blow  to  their  plans,  and  ] 
would  perhaps  cost  them  their  lives.  So  they  set  up 
the  cry  that  Jesus  worked  miracles  through  the  power 
given  him  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  devils. 

Earlier  in  his  life,  Herod  had  very  nearly  become 
a  disciple  of  John  ;  but  he  failed  to  heed  the  warn- 
ings of  the  prophet,  and  continued  in  his  life  of  in- 
temperance and  sin.  Finally  he  came  where  he  could 
command  that  John  should  be  slain,  and  his  head 
brought  to  the  wicked  Herodias. 

Now  his  heart  had  become  still  more  hardened. 
He  could  not  bear  the  silence  of  Jesus.  His  face 
grew  dark  with  passion,  and  he  angrily  threatened 
the  Saviour,  who  still  remained    unmoved    and    silent. 

Jesus  had  ever  been  ready  to  listen  to  the  earnest 
plea    of    even    the    worst    sinners  ;   but  he  had  no  ear  \ 
for  the  command  of  Herod.       His  heart,  ever  touched 
by    the    presence   of    human   woe,  was    closed    to    the 
haughty  king  who  felt  no  need  of  a  Saviourt 


BEFORE    HEROD.  •  113 

lit  anger,  Herod  turned  to  the  multitude,  and  de- 
nounced Jesus  as  an  imposter.  But  the  accusers  of 
the  Saviour  knew  that  he  was  no  imposter.  They 
had  seen  too  many  of  his  mighty  works  to  believe 
this  charge. 

Then  the  king  began  to  shamefully  abuse  and 
ridicule  the  Son  of  God.  "And  Herod  and  his  men 
of  war  set  him  at  naught,  and  mocked  him,  and 
arrayed  him  in  a  gorgeous  robe." 

As  the  wicked  king  saw  Jesus  accepting  all  this 
indignity  in  silence,  he  was  moved  with  a  sudden  fear 
that  this  was  no  common  man  before  him.  He  was 
perplexed  with  the  thought  that  his  prisoner  might 
be  a  god  come  down  to  earth. 

Herod  did  not  dare  to  ratify  the  condemnation  of 
the  Jews.  He  wished  to  relieve  himself  of  the  ter- 
rible responsibility,  and  so  sent   Jesus  back  to  Pilate. 


Gondemned  h\f  pilate. 


'^(jL  A  HEN    the    Jews    returned    from 

^L  ^L  I  Herod,  bringing  the  Saviour  again 
fh  ^lm!m  to  Pilate,  he  was  very  much 
displeased,  and  asked  what  they 
would  have  him  do.  He  reminded 
them  that  he  had  examined  Jesus, 
and  had  found  no  fault  in  him.  He 
told  them  that  they  had  brought 
complaints  against  him,  but  that  they  had  not  been 
able  to  prove  a  single  charge. 

And,  furthermore,  they  had  taken  him  to  Herod, 
who  was  a  Jew,  like  themselves,  and  he  had  found  in 
him  nothing  worthy  of  death.  But  to  pacify  the 
accusers,  he  said  :  — 

"I  will  therefore  chastise  him,  and  release  him."* 
Here  Pilate  showed  his  weakness.  He  had  acknowl- 
edged that  Christ  was  innocent  ;  then  why  should  he 
punish  him  ?  It  was  a  compromise  with  wrong.  The 
Jews  never  forgot  this  through  all  the  trial.  They 
had  intimidated  the  Roman  governor,  and  now  pressed 
;  their  advantage  until  they  secured  the  condemnation  of 
[Jesus. 

The    multitude    clamored    more    loudly  for  the  life 
'of   the   prisoner.       Jesus   could   no    longer  endure  the 


»  Luke  23  :  16. 


[1151 


116  CONDEMNED    BY   PILATE. 

strain  put  upon  him,  and  fell  exhausted  to  the  marble 
pavement.  It  was  at  this  moment  that  a  messenger 
brought  a  letter  to  Pilate  from  his  wife,  which  read  :  — ■ 

"Have  thou  nothing  to  do  with  that  just  man :  for 
I  have  suffered  many  things  this  day  in  a  dream  be- 
cause of  him."^ 

Pilate  turned  pale  at  this  message  ;  but  the  mob 
became  more  urgent  as  they  saw  his  indecision.  They 
were  wrought  up  to  a  state  of  insane  fury. 

The  governor  was  compelled  to  act.  It  was  cus- 
tomary at  the  feast  of  the  passover  to  set  at  liberty 
some  one  prisoner  that  the  people  might  select.  The 
Roman  soldiers  had  recently  captured  a  noted  robber, 
named  Barabbas.  He  was  a  degraded  ruffian  and  a 
murderer.  So  Pilate  turned  to  the  crowd,  and  said  with 
great  earnestness  :  — 

"Whom  will  ye  that  I  release  unto  you?  Barab- 
bas, or  Jesus  which  is  called  Christ  ? "  ^ 

They  replied,  "Away  with  this  man,  and  release 
unto  us  Barabbas."* 

Pilate  was  dumb  with  surprise  and  disappointment. 
By  yielding  his  own  judgment,  and  appealing  to  the 
people,  he  had  lost  his  dignity  and  the  control  of  the 
crowd.  He  was,  after  that,  only  the  tool  of  the  mob. 
They  swayed  him  at   their  will.      He   then   asked :  — 

"What  shall  I  do  then  with  Jesus  which  is  called 
Christ  ?  " 

» Matthew  27  :  19.  'Matthew  27 :  17.  *Luke  23 :  18. 


I 


I 
I 


CONDEMNED    BY   PILATE.  117 

With  one  accord  they  cried,  "Let  him  be  crucified. 

*'And  the  governor  said,  Why,  what  evil  hath  he 
done  ? 

"But  they  cried  out  the  more,  saying,  Let  him  be 
crucified."^ 

Pilate's  cheek  paled  as  he  heard  the  terrible  cry, 
"Crucify  him!"  He  had  not  thought  it  would  come 
to  that.  He  had  repeatedly  pronounced  Jesus  inno- 
cent, and  yet  the  people  were  determined  that  he  should 
suffer  this  most  terrible  and  dreaded  death.  Again  he 
asked  the  question  :  — 

"Why,  what  evil  hath  he  done?" 

And  again  the  awful  cry  was  set  up,  "  Crucify 
him ! "  •  ' 

Pilate  made  one  last  effort  to  touch  their  sympa- 
thies. Jesus  was  taken,  faint  with  weariness  and 
covered  with  wounds,  and  scourged  in  the  sight  of 
his  accusers. 

Stripped  to  the  waist,  his  back  showed  the  long, 
cruel  stripes,  from  which  the  blood  was  still  flowing. 
His  gentle  face  showed  the  marks  of  the  terrible 
ordeal  through  which  he  had  passed. 

The  low-browed,  vicious  Barabbas  was  then  brought 
and  placed  by  the  side  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  all 
might  see  the  contrast  in  the  men  between  whom  they 
had  made  their  choice.  Pointing  to  the  two,  Pilate 
said,  in  a  voice  of  solemn  entreaty  :  — 

6  Matthew  27: 22,  23. 


118 


CONDEMNED    BY    PILATE. 


"Behold  the  man." 

There  were  men  of  intelligence  before  Pilate.  They 
could  read  as  well  as  he,  the  look  of  nobility  and 
purity  in  the  pale,  suffering  face  of  the  Saviour.     But 

they  were  lost  to  all  reason,  and 
a   to  every  feeling  of  justice  or  com- 
passion, and  replied :  — 
"Crucify   him,   crucify 
him ! " 

At  last,  losing  all 
O     patience  with  their 


"I  AM  Innocent  of  the  Blood  op  this  Just  Person." 


unreasonable,  vengeful  cruelty,  Pilate  said  to  them  :  — 
"Take  ye  him,  and  crucify  him  ;  for  I  find  no  fault 

in  him.'"' 

Pilate  tried  hard  to    release    the    Saviour ;   but  the 

Jews  cried  out :  — 

"If   thou   let   this   man    go,  thou    art   not  Caesar's 

friend ;  whosoever   maketh    himself    a    king    speaketh 

against  Caesar." '' 

«Johnl9:5,  6.  •  'joi^n  jg  .  12. 


CONDEMNED   BY   PILATE. 


119 


This  was  touching  Pilate  in  a  weak  place.  He  was 
already  under  suspicion  by  the  Roman  government. 
He  knew  that  a  report  of  this  kind  would  be  his  ruin. 

*'When  Pilate  saw  that  he  could  prevail  nothing, 
but  that  rather  a  tumult  was  made,  he  took  water, 
and  washed  his  hands  before  the  multitude,  saying  :  — 

"  I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  person  ; 
see  ye  to  it."  Caiaphas  answered  defiantly,  "  His  blood 
be  on  us,  and  on  our  children."^ 

And  the  awful  words  were  echoed  by  the  priests 
and  re-echoed  by  the  people. 

It  was  a  terrible  sentence  to  pass  upon  themselves. 
It  was  an  awful  heritage  to  pass  down  to  their  posterity. 

Literally  was  this  fulfilled  upon  themselves  in  the 
fearful  scenes  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  some 
forty  years  later. 

Literally  has  it  been  fulfilled  in  the  scattered,  de- 
spised, and  oppressed  condition  of  their  decendants  since 
that  day. 

Doubly  literal  will  be  the  fulfilment  when  the  final 
accounting  shall  come.  The  scene  will  then  be  changed, 
and  ''this  same  Jesus"  will  come  ''in  flaming  fire 
taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God." 

Then  they  will  pray  to  rocks  and  mountains  :  — 

"Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb ;   for  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come. 

*  Matthew  27 :  24,  25.  ..  » Revelation  6  :  16. 


T)  9 


120 


CONDEMNED    BY    PILATE. 


*'  Then  the  soldiers  of  the  governor  took  Jesus 
into  the  common  hall,  and  gathered  unto  him  the 
whole  band  of  soldiers.  And  they  stripped  him,  and 
put  on  him  a  scarlet  robe. 

"And  when  they  had  platted  a  crown  of  thorns, 
they  put   it   upon  his   head,  and   a   reed  in  his   right 

hand  :  and  they  bowed  the  knee 
before  him,  and  mocked  him, 
saying,    Hail,    King    of 
the  Jews! 

"And  they 
spit  upon  him, 
and  took  the 
reed,  and  smote 
him  on  the  head. 
"And  after 
that  they  had 
mocked  him, 
they  took  the 
robe  off  from  him,  and  put  his  own  raiment  on  him."^ 
Satan  led  the  cruel  soldiery  in  their  abuse  of  the 
Saviour.  It  was  his  purpose  to  provoke  him  to  re- 
taliation, if  possible,  or  to  drive  him  to  perform  a 
miracle  to  release  himself,  and  thus  break  up  the  plan 
of  salvation. 

One  stain  upon  his  human  life;  one  failure  of  his 
humanity  to  bear   the   terrible   test,  and  the  Lamb  of 


2  Matt.  27:27-31. 


CONDEMNED    BY    PILATE.  121 

God  would  have   been  an  imperfect    offering,  and   the 
redemption  of  man  a  failure. 

But  he  who  could  command  the  heavenly  hosts, 
and  in  an  instant  call  to  his  aid  legions  of  holy 
angels,  one  of  whom  could  have  immediately  over- 
powered that  cruel  mob, —  he  who  could  have  stricken 

down  his  tormentors  by  the   flashing  forth  of   his   di- 
vine  majesty, —  submitted   to   the   coarsest   insult   and 

outrage  with  dignified  composure. 

As  the  acts  of  his  torturers  degraded  them  below 
humanity,  into  the  likeness  of  Satan,  so  did  the  meek- 
ness and  patience  of  Jesus  exalt  him  above  the  level 
of  humanity. 

Christ,  the  precious  Son  of  God,  was  to  be  led 
forth  and  crucified.  Had  Pilate  acted  promptly  and 
firmly  at  the  first,  carrying  out  his  own  convictions  of 
right,  his  will  would  not  have  been  overborne  by  the 
mob;  they  would  not  have  presumed  to  dictate  to 
him.     His  wavering  and  indecision  proved  his  ruin. 

How  many,  like  the  Roman  governor,  sacrifice 
principle  and  integrity,  in  order  to  shun  disagreeable 
consequences.  Conscience  and  duty  point  one  way, 
and  self  interest  points  another;  and  the  current  set- 
ting strongly  in  the  wrong  direction,  sweeps  away 
into  the  thick  darkness  of  guilt  him  who  compromises 
with  evil. 


Gcil^oi^y. 


ESUS  was  hurried  to  Calvary  amid 
the  jeers  and  shouts  of  the  crowd. 
As  he  passed  the  gate  of  Pilate's 
court,   the   heavy   cross   which   had 


|l  been    prepared    for    Barabbas    was 
laid  upon  his  bruised  and  bleeding 
shoulders. 

The  load  was  too  heavy  for 
the  Saviour  in  his  weary,  suffering  condition.  He  had 
gone  but  a  few  rods  when  he  fell  fainting  beneath 
the  cross. 

When  Jesus  revived,  the  cross  was  again  placed 
upon  his  shoulders.  He  staggered  on  a  few  steps,  and 
again  fell  to  the  ground  as  one  lifeless.  His  per- 
secutors now  realized  that  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  go  farther  with  his  burden,  and  were  puzzled  to 
find  some  one  who  would  carry  the  humiliating  load. 
Just  then  they  were  met  by  Simon,  the  Cyrenian, 
coming  from  an  opposite  direction.  They  at  once 
seized  him,  and  compelled  him  to  carry  the  cross  to 
Calvary. 

The  sons  of  Simon  were  disciples  of  Jesus,  but  he 
himself  had  never  openly  accepted  the  Saviour.      Simon 

[1231 


124  CALVARY. 

was  ever  after  grateful  for  the  privilege  of  bearing  the 
cross  of  the  Redeemer.  The  burden  he  was  thus 
forced  to  carry  became  the  means  of  his  conversion. 
The  events  of  Calvary  and  the  words  uttered  by  Jesus 
led  Simon  to  accept  him  as  the  Son  of  God. 

Arriving  at  the  place  of  crucifixion,  the  condemned 
were  bound  to  the  instruments  of  torture.  The  two 
thieves  wrestled  in  the  hands  of  those  who  stretched 
them  upon  the  cross;  but  the  Saviour  made  no  resistance. 

The  mother  of  Jesus  had  followed  him  on  that 
awful  journey  to  Calvary.  She  longed  to  minister  to 
him  as  he  sank  exhausted  under  his  burden,  but  she 
was  not  allowed  this  privilege. 

At  every  step  of  that  wearisome  way  she  had  looked 
for  him  to  manifest  his  God-given  power,  and  release 
himself  from  the  murderous  throng.  And  now  that 
the  final  scene  was  reached,  and  she  saw  the  thieves 
bound  to  the  cross,  what  an  agony  of  suspense  she 
endured ! 

Would  he  who  gave  life  to  the  dead  suffer  himself 
to  be  crucified  ?  Would  the  Son  of  God  suffer  him- 
self to  be  thus  cruelly  slain  ?  Must  she  give  up  her 
faith  that  he  was  the  Messiah  ? 

She  saw  his  hands  stretched  upon  the  cross, —  those 
hands  that  had  ever  been  stretched  forth  in  blessing  to 
the  suffering. 

The  hammer  and  the  nails  were  brought,  and  as  the 
spikes  were  driven  through  the  tender  flesh,  the  heart- 


CALVARY. 


125 


broken  disciples  bore  away   from   the    cruel    scene  the 
fainting  form  of  the  mother  of  Jesus. 

The  Saviour  made  no  murmur  of  complaint ;  his 
face  remained  pale  and  serene,  but  great  drops  of 
sweat  stood  upon  his  brow.  His  disciples  had  fled 
from  the  dreadful  scene.     He  was   treading  the  wine- 


press alone  ;  and  of  the 
people  there  was  none 
with  him.i 

As  the  soldiers  were  doing  their  dreadful  work,  the 
mind  of  Jesus  passed  from  his  own  sufferings  to  the 
terrible  retribution  that  his  persecutors  must  one  day 
meet.  His  own  agony  made  vivid  to  his  mind  the 
anguish  that  would  be  theirs  in  that  day.  He  pitied 
them  in  their  ignorance,  and  prayed  :  — 

» Isaiah  63  :  3. 


12G  CALVARY. 

"Father,  forgive  them;  for  they  know  not  w^hat 
they  do."^ 

Jesus  was  earning  the  right  to  become  the  advocate 
for  men  in  the  Father's  presence.  That  prayer  of 
Christ  for  his  enemies  embraced  the  world.  It  took 
in  every  sinner  who  had  lived  or  should  live,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  end  of  time. 

As  soon  as  Jesus  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  it  was 
lifted  by  strong  men,  and  thrust  with  great  violence 
into  the  place  prepared  for  it.  This  caused  intense 
suffering  to  the  Son  of  God. 

Pilate  then  wrote  an  inscription  in  Latin,  Greek, 
and  Hebrew,  and  placed  it  upon  the  cross,  above  the 
head  of  Jesus,  where  all  might    see    it.       It  read  :  — 

''Jesus  of  Nazareth  the  King  of  the  Jews." 

The  Jews  requested  that  this  be  changed.  Said 
the  chief  priests  :  — 

"Write  not.  The  King  of  the  Jews;  but  that  he 
said,  I  am  King  of  the  Jews." 

But  Pilate  was  angry  with  himself  because  of  his 
former  weakness.  He  also  thoroughly  despised  the 
jealous  and  wicked  rulers.     So  he  replied  :  — 

"What  I  have  written  I  have  written."^ 

And  now  a  terrible  scene  took  place.  Priests,  rulers, 
and  scribes  joined  with  the  rabble  in  mocking  and 
jeering  the  dying  Son  of  God,  saying  :  — 

"If  thou  be  the  King  of  the  Jews,  save  thyself."^ 

«  Luke  23:  34.  ^  jo|^„  19  .  19^  21,  22.  *  Luke  23  :  37. 


Calvary.  127 

"He  saved  others  ;  himself  he  cannot  save.  If  he 
be  the  King  of  Israel,  let  him  now  come  down  from 
the  cross,  and  we  will  believe  him.  He  trusted  in 
God ;  let  him  deliver  him  now,  if  he  will  have  him  ; 
for  he  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God."^ 

"And  they  that  passed  by  railed  on  him,  wagging 
their  heads,  and  saying,  Ah,  thou  that  destroyest  the 
temple,  and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save  thyself, 
and  come  down  from  the  cross."*' 

The  unfeeling  soldiers  divided  the  clothing  of 
Jesus  among  themselves.  One  garment  was  woven 
without  seam,  and  a  contention  arose  about  it.  They 
finally  settled  the  matter  by  casting  lots  for  it.  This 
scene  had  been  accurately  described  by  the  pen  of 
inspiration  :  — 

"For  dogs  have  compassed  me;  the  assembly  of 
the  wicked  have  inclosed  me  ;  they  pierced  my  hands 
and  my  feet.  .  .  .  They  part  my  garments  among 
them,  and  cast  lots  upon  my  vesture."  ^ 

«  Matthew  27  :  42,  43.  «  Mark  15  :  29,  30.  ^  Psalms  22  :  16-18. 


''C ' 

"""^"^^ 

*3s- 

'A.f?;-^ 

-"M:-!^^^ 

*-": 

l^-S*'^' 

^^^^^^Hf' JfflH^^^^^H 

\          1         \l 

•'1      ■     ffJ-'l 
■'1            |l# 

\ 

u      m    ■ 

■v^'   \ 

t^yp:^..     f^ 

"---  ^    -    . 

'  '  -;'-^ 

■     *'i       " 

.w.^^:,,5.,T^,-ftvr.    -V    _^  .:. 

-  ^.o„ 

[128] 


Darkness  on  Calvary. 

''No  eye  could  pierce  ttje  gloonj  surrounding  the  cross.' 


I^eatb  of  G^rist. 


'T  was  not  the  fear  of  death,  nor  the 
^psdn  of  the  cross,  that  made 
fc  Christ's  sufferings  so  terrible.  It 
was  the  crushing  weight  of  the 
sins  of  the  world,  and  a  sense  of 
separation  from  his  Father's  love, 
that  broke  his  heart  and  brought 
death  so  soon  to  the  Son  of  God. 
Christ  felt  much  as  sinners 
will  feel  when  they  awake  to 
realize  the  burden  of  their  guilt, 
and  that  they  have  forever  separated  themselves  from 
the  joy  and  peace  of  heaven. 

Angels  beheld  with  amazement  the  agony  of  despair 
borne  by  the  Saviour.  His  anguish  of  mind  was  so  in- 
tense that  the  pain  of  the  cross  was  hardly  felt  by  him. 
Nature  itself  was  in  sympathy  with  the  scene.  The 
sun  shone  clearly  until  midday,  when  suddenly  it  seemed 
to  be  blotted  out.  All  about  the  cross  it  became  dark 
as  the  blackest  midnight.  This  supernatural  darkness 
lasted  fully  three  hours. 

No   eye   could   pierce   the   gloom    surrounding    the 
cross.      A  nameless  terror  took  possession  of  all  pres- 

1129] 


130  DEATH    OF    CHRIST. 

ent.  The  cursing  and  reviling  ceased.  Men,  women, 
and  children  fell  upon  the  earth  in  abject  terror. 

Lightnings  occasionally  flashed  forth  from  the  cloud, 
and  revealed  the  cross  and  the  crucified  Redeemer.  All 
thought  their  time  of  retribution  had  come. 

At  the  ninth  hour  the  darkness  lifted  from  the 
people,  but  still  wrapped  the  Saviour  as  with  a  man- 
tle. The  lightnings  seemed  to  be  hurled  at  him  as 
he  hung  upon  the  cross.  It  was  then  that  he  sent  up 
the  despairing  cry  :  — 

"My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"^ 

In  the  meantime,  the  darkness  had  settled  over 
Jerusalem  and  the  plains  of  Judea.  As  all  eyes  were 
turned  in  the  direction  of  the  fated  city,  they  saw  the 
fierce   lightnings  of    God's   wrath   directed   toward    it. 

Suddenly  the  gloom  was  lifted  from  the  cross,  and 
in  clear,  trumpet-like  tones,  that  seemed  to  resound 
through  creation,  Jesus   cried  :  — 

"It  is  finished."^  "Father,  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit."^ 

A  light  encircled  the  cross,  and  the  face  of  the 
Saviour  shone  with  a  glory  like  unto  the  sun.  He 
then  bowed  his  head  upon  his  breast,  and  died 

The  multitude  about  the  cross  stood  paralyzed,  and 
with  bated  breath  gazed  upon  the  Saviour.  Again 
darkness  settled  upon  the  earth,  and  a  hoarse  rumbling 
like  heavy  thunder  was  heard.  This  was  accompanied 
by  a  violent  earthquake. 

1  Mark  15  :  34.  '  John  19  :  30,  ^  L^^e  23  :  46. 


DEATH   OF   CHRIST. 


131 


The  people  were  shaken  into  heaps  by  the  earth- 
quake. The  wildest  confusion  and  terror  ensued.  In 
the  surrounding  mountains,  rocks  were  rent  asunder, 
and  many  of  them  came  tumbling  down  into  the  plains 
below.     Sepulchers  were  broken  open,  and  many  of  the 


The  mlof/fie/i'mpleufajreff/'//jla/m ' 

dead   were   cast   out    of 
the  tombs. 

Creation    seemed    to 
be  breaking  into  atoms. 
Priests,   rulers,  soldiers, 
and   people   were    mute 
with  terror,  and  lying  prostrate  on  the  ground. 

At  the  time  of  the  death  of  Christ,  some  of  the 
priests  were  ministering  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 
They  felt  the  shock  of  the  earthquake,  and  at  the 
same  moment  the  vail  of  the  temple,  which  separated 
the  holy  from  the  most  holy  place,  was  rent  in  twain 


132  DEATH   OF    CHRIST. 

from  top  to  bottom  by  the  same  bloodless  hand  that 
wrote  the  words  of  doom  upon  the  w"alls  of  Belshazzar's 
palace. 

The  most  holy  place  of  the  earthly  sanctuary  was 
no  longer  sacred.  No  longer  would  the  presence  of 
God  overshadow  that  mercy  seat.  No  more  would  the 
acceptance  or  displeasure  of  God  be  manifested  by  the 
light  or  shadow  in  the  precious  stones  in  the  breast- 
plate of  the  high  priest. 

From  henceforth  the  blood  of  the  offerings  in  the 
temple  was  of  no  value.  The  Lamb  of  God,  in  dying, 
had   become   the   sacrifice   for   the   sins  of   the  world. 

When  Christ  died  upon  the  cross  of  Calvary,  the 
new  and  living  way  was  thrown  open  to  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile alike. 

Angels  rejoiced  as  the  Saviour  cried,  "It  is  fin- 
ished ! "  The  great  plan  of  redemption  was  to  be 
carried  out.  The  sons  of  Adam  might,  through  a 
life  of  obedience,  be  exalted  finally  to  the  presence 
of  God. 

Satan  was  defeated,  and  knew  that  his  kingdom 
was  lost, 


In  Joseph's  ^omb. 


REASON  against  the  Roman  gov- 
ernment was  the  crime  for  which 
the  Saviour  was  condemned.  Per- 
sons put  to  death  for  this  cause 
were  consigned  to  a  burying  ground 
especially  provided  for  such  crimi- 
nals. 

John  shuddered  at  the  thought 
of  having  the  body  of  his  beloved 
Master  handled  by  the  rough  and 
unfeeling  soldiers,  and  buried  in  a 
dishonored  grave.  But  he  saw  no 
way  to  prevent  it,  as  he  had  no  influence  with  Pilate. 
At  this  trying  time,  Joseph  and  Nicodemus  came 
to  the  help  of  the  disciples.  Both  of  these  men  were 
members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  were  acquainted  with 
Pilate.  Both  were  men  of  wealth  and  influence.  They 
were  determined  that  the  body  of  the  Saviour  should 
have  an  honorable  burial. 

Joseph  went  boldly  to  Pilate,  and  begged  from 
him  the  body  of  Jesus.  Pilate,  after  ascertaining  that 
Christ  was  really  dead,  granted  Joseph's  request. 

[133] 


134 


IN   JOSEPHS   TOMB. 


While     Joseph     was     securing     the    body    of    the 
Redeemer    from    Pilate,    Nicodemus    b!*ought    a    costly 
mixture  of   myrrh    and    aloes,    of   about    one    hundred 
pounds'    weight,   for   the 
burial  of  the  Saviour.        S^^^mma^mmmmamammmmmf 


The  most  honored  in  all 
Jerusalem  could  not  have 
been  shown  more  respect 
in  death.  The  humble 
followers  of  Jesus  were 
astonished     to     see     these 

wealthy  rulers  taking  such  an  interest  in  the  burial  of 

their  Master. 

The  disciples  were  overwhelmed  with  sorrow  at  the 

events  that  had  taken  place.       They  forgot  that  Jesus 

had   told   them  that  just  such  things  were  to  happen. 

They  were  without  hope. 


IN  Joseph's  tomb.  135 

Neither  Joseph  nor  Nicodemus  had  openly  ac- 
cepted the  Saviour  while  he  was  living.  But  they 
had  listened  to  his  teachings,  and  had  watched  closely 
every  step  of  his  ministry.  Although  the  disciples 
had  forgotten  the  Saviour's  words  foretelling  his  death, 
Joseph  and  Nicodemus  remembered  them  well.  And 
the  scenes  connected  with  the  death  of  Jesus,  which 
disheartened  the  disciples  and  shook  their  faith,  only 
proved  to  these  rulers  that  he  was  the  true  Messiah, 
and  led  them  to  take  their  stand  firmly  for  the  Saviour. 

The  help  of  these  rich  and  honored  men  was  greatly 
needed  at  this  time.  They  could  do  for  their  dead 
Master  what  it  was  impossible  for  the  poor  disciples 
to  do. 

Gently  and  reverently  they  removed  with  their  own 
hands  the  body  of  the  Son  of  God  from  the  cross. 
Their  tears  of  sympathy  fell  fast,  as  they  looked  upon 
his  bruised  and  torn  form. 

Joseph  owned  a  new  tomb,  hewn  from  stone.  He 
had  built  it  for  his  own  use  ;  but  he  now  prepared  it 
for  Jesus.  The  body,  together  with  the  spices  brought 
by  Nicodemus,  was  wrapped  in  a  linen  sheet,  and  the 
Redeemer  was  borne  to  the  tomb. 

Although  the  Jewish  rulers  had  succeeded  in  putting 
to  death  the  Son  of  God,  they  could  not  rest  easy. 
They  well  knew  of  the  mighty  power  of  Jesus. 

They  had  stood  by  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  and  seen 
the  dead  brought    back   to  life  and  glorious  manhood. 


136 


IN  Joseph's  tomb. 


and  they  trembled  for  fear   that  Christ  would  himself 
rise  from  the  dead   and  again   appear   before  them. 

They  had  heard  Jesus  say  to  the  multitude  that  he 
had  power  to  lay  down  his  life 
and  to   take  it  up  again. 

They    remembered   that   he 


had  said,  "Destroy  this 
temple,  and  in  three  days 
I  will  raise  it  up.' 

Judas    had   told   them 

the  words  spoken  by  Jesus 

to  his  disciples  on  their  last 

journey  to   Jerusalem  :  — 

*'  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem ;  and  the  Son  of 

man  shall  be  betrayed  unto  the  chief  priests  and  unto 

the  scribes,  and  they  shall  condemn  him  to  death,  and 

»  John  2 :  19. 


IN  Joseph's  tomb.  137 

shall  deliver  him  to  the  Gentiles  to  mock,  and  to 
scourge,  and  to  crucify  him  :  and  the  third  day  he 
shall  rise  again."  ^ 

They  now  remembered  many  things  spoken  by  Jesus 
which  foretold  his  resurrection.  They  could  not  shut 
out  these  thoughts,  however  much  they  desired  to  do 
so.  Like  their  father,  the  devil,  they  believed  and 
trembled. 

Everything  proclaimed  to  them  that  Jesus  was  the 
Son  of  God.  They  could  not  sleep,  for  they  were  more 
troubled  about  Jesus  in  death  than  they  had  been 
during  his  life. 

Desiring  to  make  all  things  as  secure  as  possible, 
they  requested  Pilate  to  make  sure  the  sepulcher  until 
the  third  day.  Pilate  placed  a  band  of  soldiers  at  the 
command  of  the  priests,  and  said  :  — 

*'Ye  have  a  watch;  go  your  way,  make  it  as  sure 
as  ye  can.  So  they  went,  and  made  the  sepulcher 
sure,  sealing  the  stone,  and  setting  a  watch."  ^ 

'  Matthew  20  :  18,  19.  »  Matthew  27 :  65,  66. 


[138] 


The  Heave>'ly  Messenger. 

"lie  parts  the  darkness  from  fjia  track,  arjd  the  vuhole  t]eauens  are  lighted 

uiith  his  dazzling  glory." 


"Be  Is  Risen." 


k 


greatest  care  had  been  taken 
to  guard  the  tomb  of  the  Sav- 
iour, and  a  great  stone  had  been 
rolled  to  its  mouth.  The  Roman 
seal  had  been  placed  upon  this 
stone,  so  that  it  could  not  be 
moved  without  breaking  the 
seal. 

A  well  equipped  guard  of 
Roman  soldiers  surrounded  the 
sepulcher.  It  was  their  duty 
to  keep  strict  watch  over  the  tomb,  and  see  that  the 
body  which  it  contained  was  not  molested.  Sentinels 
were  constantly  pacing  to  and  fro,  while  the  remainder 
of  the  detachment  took  what  rest  they  could. 

But  there  was  another  guard  surrounding  that  tomb. 
It  was  composed  of  mighty  angels  from  the  courts  of 
heaven.  Any  one  of  thi^  angel  guard,  by  putting 
forth  his  power,  could  have  stricken  down  the  whole 
Roman  army. 

The  night  of  the  first  day  of  the  week  has  worn 
slowly  away,  and  the  darkest  hour,  just  before  day- 
break, has  come. 

[139] 


140 


(( 


HE   IS   RISEN. 


One  of  the  most  powerful  angels  is  sent  from 
heaven.  His  countenance  is  like  lightning,  and  his 
garments  white  as  snow.  He  parts  the  darkness  from 
his  track,  and  the  whole  heavens  are  lighted  with  his 
dazzling  glory. 

The  sleeping  soldiers  start  to  their  feet  in  a  body. 
They  gaze  with  awe  and  wonder  at  the  open  heavens, 
and  the  vision  of 
brightness  which 
is   nearing   them. 

The  earth 
trembles  and 
heaves  as  that 
powerful  being 
from  another 
world  approaches. 
He  is  coming  on 
a  joyful  errand, 
and  the  speed  and  power  of  his  flight  shake  the  world 
like  a  mighty  earthquake.  Soldiers,  officers,  and  sen- 
tinels, fall  as  dead  men  to  the  earth. 

There  had  been  yet  another  guard  about  that 
burial  place.  This  guard  was  composed  of  evil 
angels.  The  Son  of  God  had  fallen  in  death,  and 
was  even  then  claimed  as  the  lawful  prey  of  him  who 
hath  the  power  of  death, —  the  devil. 

The  angels  of  Satan  were  present  to  see  that  no 
power  should   take    Jesus   from  their   grasp.       But  as 


*^HE   IS   RISEN.  141 

the  mighty  being  sent  from  the  throne  of  God  ap- 
proached, they  fled  in  terror  from  the  scene. 

One  of  the  commanding  angels  who  had,  with  his 
heavenly  company,  been  keeping  watch  over  the  tomb 
of  his  Master,  joined  the  powerful  angel  who  had  just 
come  from  heaven.  Together  they  advanced  to  the 
sepulcher. 

The  angelic  commander  laid  hold  of  the  great  stone 
at  the  mouth  of  the  tomb,  rolled  it  away,  and  sat 
upon  it.  His  companion  entered  the  sepulcher  and 
removed  the  wrappings  from  the  face  and  head  of 
Jesus.  Then,  with  a  voice  that  caused  the  earth 
to  tremble,  he  called  forth  :  — 

"  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  God,  thy  Father  calls  thee ! " 

Then  he  who  had  earned  the  power  over  death 
came  forth  from  the  tomb  with  the  tread  of  a  con- 
queror. As  he  arose  from  the  dead,  the  earth  reeled, 
the  lightning  flashed,  and  the  thunder  rolled. 

An  earthquake  marked  the  hour  when  Christ  laid 
down  his  life.  Another  earthquake  witnessed  the 
moment   when  he  took  it  up  again  in  triumph. 

Satan  was  bitterly  angry  that  his  angels  had  fled 
at  the  approach  of  the  heavenly  messenger.  He  had 
dared  to  hope  that  Jesus  would  not  take  up  his  life 
again ;  but  his  courage  failed  him  as  he  saw  the 
Saviour  come  forth  from  the  tomb  in  triumph.  Satan 
now  knew  that  his  kingdom  would  have  an  end,  and 
that  he  must  finally  die. 


Go  Tell  Mi;  Disciples. 


ITKE,  in  his  account  of  the  burial 
of  the  Saviour,  when  speaking 
of  the  women  who  were  with 
him  at  his  crucifixion  says  :  — 
"And  they  returned,  and 
prepared  spices  and  ointments  ; 
and  rested  the  Sabbath  day, 
according  to  the  command- 
ment." ^ 

The  Saviour  was  buried  on 
Friday,  the  sixth  day  of  the 
week.  They  prepared  spices  and  ointments  with 
which  to  embalm  their  Lord,  and  laid  them  aside, 
until  the  Sabbath  was  past. 

''And  when  the  Sabbath  was  past,  .  .  .  very  early 
in  the  morning,  the  first  day  of  the  week,  they  came 
unto  the  sepulcher  at  the  rising  of  the  sun." " 

As  they  neared  the  garden,  they  were  surprised  to 
see  the  heavens  beautifully  lighted  up,  and  to  feel  the 
earth  trembling  beneath  their  feet.  They  hastened  to 
the  sepulcher,  and  were    still    more    astonished  to  find 

1  Luke  23: 56.  «  Mark  16  : 1,  2. 

ri42j 


GO   TELL   MY    DISCIPLES.  143 

that  the  stone  was  rolled  away,  and  that  the  Roman 
guard  was  not  there. 

They  noticed  a  light  shining  about  the  tomb,  and 
looking  in,  saw  that  it  was  empty.  While  Mary  was 
carrying  the  news  to  the  disciples,  the  other  women 
examined  the  sepulcher  more  closely. 

Suddenly  they  beheld  a  beautiful  young  man,  clothed 
in  shining  garments,  and  they  were  afraid.  It  was 
the  angel  who  had  rolled  away  the  stone,  and  he  said 
to  them  :  — 

"  Fear  not  ye  ;  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus,  which 
was  crucified.  He  is  not  here  :  for  he  is  risen,  as  he 
said.      Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay. 

''And  go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is 
risen  from  the  dead  ;  and,  behold,  he  goeth  before  you 
into  Galilee  ;  there  shall  ye  see  him  ;  lo,  I  have  told 
you." ' 

As  the  women  looked  again  into  the  sepulcher,  they 
saw  another  shining  angel,  who  inquired  of   them  :  — 

"Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead?  He 
is  not  here,  but  is  risen  ;  remember  how  he  spake 
unto  you  when  he  was  yet  in  Galilee,  saying.  The 
Son  of  man  must  be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sinful 
men,  and  be  crucified,  and  the  third  day  rise  again."  ^ 
.  The  angels  then  explained  the  death  and  resur- 
rection of  Christ.  They  called  the  attention  of  the 
women  to  the  words  that  Christ   had  spoken  to  them, 

3  Matthew  28  :  5-7.  *  Luke  24  :  5-7. 


144  GO   TELL   MY   DISCIPLES. 

in  which  he  had  told  them  beforehand  of  his  crucifixion 
and  of  his  resurrection.  These  words  of  Jesus  were 
now  plain  to  them,  and  they  gathered  from  them  fresh 
hope  and  courage. 

Mary  had  been  absent  during  this  scene^  but  now 
returned  with  Peter  and  John.  When  the  rest  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem,  she  remained  at  the  tomb.  She 
could  not  bear  to  leave  until  she  should  learn  what 
had  become  of  the  body  of  her  Lord.  As  she  stood 
weeping,  she  heard  a  voice  which  asked  :  — 

"Woman,  why  weepest  thou?  whom  seekest 
thou  ?  " 

Her  eyes  were  so  blinded  by  tears  that  she  did 
not  observe  who  it  was  that  spoke  to  her.  She 
thought  it  might  be  one  who  had  charge  of  the  garden, 
and  so  addressed  him  pleadingly  :  — 

"  Sir,  if  thou  have  borne  him  hence,  tell  me  where 
thou  hast  laid  him,  and  I  will  take  him  away." 

She  thought  that  if  this  rich  man's  tomb  was  con- 
sidered too  honorable  a  place  for  her  Lord,  she  would 
herself  provide  a  place  for  him.  But  now  the  voice 
of  Jesus  himself  fell  upon  her  astonished  ears.  He 
said  to  her  :  — 

"Mary." 

Her  tears  were  instantly  brushed  away,  and  she 
beheld  Jesus.  Forgetting,  in  her  joy,  that  he  had 
been  crucified,  she  stretched  forth  her  hands  to  him, 
saying  :  — 


GO   TELL  MY  DISCIPLES. 


145 


"Rabboni"  (Master)! 

Jesus  then  said,  "  Touch  me  not ;  for  I  am  not  yet 
ascended  to  my  Father ;  but  go  to  my  brethren,  and 
say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your 
Father;  and  to  my  God,  and  your  God."^ 

Jesus  refused  to  receive  the  homage  of  his  fol- 
lowers until  he 
should  know  that 
his  sacrifice  had 
been  accepted  by 
the  Father.  He 
wished  to  receive 
the  assurance  from 
God  himself  that 
his  atonement  for 
the  sins  of  men 
had  been  full 
enough  so  that 
through  his  blood 
they  might  gain  eternal  life. 

Jesus  immediately  ascended  to  heaven  and  presented 
himself  before  the  throne  of  God,  showing  the  marks 
of  cruelty  upon  his  brow,  his  hands,  and  his  feet. 

But  he  refused  to  receive  the  coronet  of  glory  and 
the  royal  robe,  as  he  had  refused  the  homage  of  Mary, 
until  the  Father  should  signify  that  his  offering  was 
accepted. 

6  John  20 :  13-16. 


146  GO   TELL   MY   DISCIPLES. 

He  also  had  a  request  to  prefer  concerning  his 
chosen  ones  upon  earth.  He  wished  to  have  the  re- 
lation clearly  defined  that  his  redeemed  should  here- 
after sustain  to  heaven  and  to  his  Father. 

His  church  must  be  justified  and  accepted  before 
he  could  accept  heavenly  honor.  He  declared  it  to 
be  his  will  that  where  he  was,  there  his  church  should 
be.  If  he  was  to  have  glory,  his  people  must  share 
it  with  him.  Those  who  should  suffer  with  him  on 
earth  must  finally  reign  with  him  in  his  kingdom. 

In  the  clearest  manner  Christ  pleaded  for  his  church, 
identifying  his  interest  with  theirs,  and  advocating,  with 
a  love  and  constancy  stronger  than  death,  their  rights 
and  titles  gained  through  him.  God's  answer  to  this 
appeal  went  forth  in  the  proclamation  :  — 

''  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him." 

Every  angelic  commander  obeyed  the  royal  mandate, 
and,  "Worthy,  worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain; 
and  that  lives  again  a  triumphant  conqueror  !  "  echoed 
and  re-echoed  through  all  heaven.  The  innumerable 
company  of  angels  p^rostrated  themselves  before  the 
Redeemer. 

The  request  of  Christ  was  granted  —  the  church  is 
justified  through  him,  its  representative  and  head. 
Thus  the  Father  ratified  the  contract  with  his  Son, 
that  he  would  be  reconciled  to  repentant  and  obedient 
men,  and  take  them  into  divine  favor  through  the 
merits  of  Christ. 


fitnesses. 


-'dttMif-..  -      , 


ATE  in  the  afternoon  of   the  day  of  the  resur- 
rection, two  of  the  disciples  were  on  the  way 
to    Emmaus,    a   little    town     eight     miles 
from    Jerusalem. 

They  were  perplexed  over 
the  events  that  had  recently 
taken  place,  and  especially 
concerning  the  reports  of 
the  women  who  had  seen 
the    angels,    and    had    met 


'fi^  him' 


Jesus  after  his  resurrection. 

They  were  now  returning  to  their  home  to  meditate 
and  pray,  in  hope  of  gaining  some  light  in  regard  to 
those  matters  which  were  so  dark  to  them. 

As  they  journeyed,  a  stranger  came  up  behind  them 
and  joined  their  company  ;  but  they  were  so  busy  with 
their  conversation  that  they  scarcely  noticed  his  pres- 
ence. 

These  strong  men  were  so  burdened  with  grief 
that  they  wept  as  they  traveled  along.  Christ's  pity- 
ing heart  of  love  saw  here  a  sorrow  which  he  could 
relieve. 

Jesus,  disguised  as  a  s'tranger,  entered  into  con- 
versation with  them.       "But   their    eyes   were    holden 

lo  [147] 


mm 


Journey  to  Emmaus. 

"  What  manqer  of  comnjunications  are  these  tfjat  ye  tjaue  one  to  arjotfjer, 
aa  ye  uja%fiqd  are  sad?" 


WITNESSES.  149 

that  they  should  not   know  him.      And   he    said   unto 
them :  — 

'*What  manner  of  communications  are  these  that 
ye  have  one  to  another,  as  ye  walk,  and  are  sad? 

"And  the  one  of  them,  whose  name  was  Cleopas, 
answering  said  unto  him  :  — 

"Art  thou  only  a  stranger  in  Jerusalem,  and  hast 
not  known  the  things  which  are  come  to  pass  there 
in  these  days  ? 

**  And  he  said  unto  them.  What  things  ? 

**And  they  said  unto  him.  Concerning  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  which  was  a  prophet  mighty  in  deed  and 
word  before  God  and  all  the  people."^ 

They  then  told  the  circumstances  which  had  occurred, 
and  related  the  report  of  the  women  who  had  been  at 
the  sepulcher  early  that  same  morning.  "Then  he 
said  unto  them  :  — 

"  0  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the 
prophets  have  spoken :  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suf- 
fered these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ? 

"And  beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the  prophets, 
he  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things 
concerning  himself."^ 

The  disciples  were  silent  from  amazement  and  de- 
light. They  did  not  venture  to  ask  the  stranger  who 
he  was.  They  listened  intently  as  he  opened  to  their 
understanding  the  mission  of  Christ  in  its  completeness. 

i  Luke  24 :  16-19.  «  Luke  24  :  25-27, 


150 


WITNESSES. 


As  the  sun  was  setting,  the  disciples  reached  their 
home.  Jesus  ''made  as  though  he  would  have  gone 
further."  But  the  disciples  could  not  bear  to  part  from 
their  companion  who  had  brought  them  such  joy  and 
hope. 

And  "they  constrained  him,  saying,  Abide  with  us; 
for  it  is  toward  evening,  and 
the  day  is  far  spent.     And  he 


went  in  to  tarry  with 

them."^ 
r^\^         The  simple  evening 

meal  was  soon  ready, 
and  Jesus  took  his  place  at  the  head  of  the  table,  as 
his  custom  was. 

It  was  usually  the  duty  of  the  head  of  the  family 
to  ask  a  blessing  upon  the  food  *,  but  Jesus  placed 
his  hands  upon  the  food  and  blessed  it.  And  the 
eyes  of  the  disciples  were  opened. 

«  Luke  24  :  38,  29. 


WITNESSES.  151 

The  act  of  blessing  the  food,  the  sound  of  the  now 
familiar  voice,  the  prints  of  the  nails  in  his  hands, 
all  proclaimed  him  their  beloved  Master. 

For  a  moment  they  sat  spellbound  ;  then  they  arose 
to  fall  at  his  feet  and  worship  him  ;  but  he  suddenly 
disappeared  from  their  midst.  They  forgot  their  hun- 
ger and  weariness.  They  left  the  meal  untasted,  and 
hastened  back  to  Jerusalem  to  bear  to  the  others  the 
precious   message  of   a  risen  Saviour. 

As  they  were  relating  these  things  to  the  disciples, 
Jesus  himself  stood  among  them,  and,  with  hands 
uplifted  in  blessing,  said  :  — 

"  Peace  be  unto  you."  * 

At  first  they  were  frightened  ;  but  when  he  had 
shown  them  the  prints  of  the  nails  in  his  hands  and 
feet,  and  had  eaten  before  them,  they  believed  and 
were  comforted.  Faith  and  joy  now  took  the  place 
of  unbelief,  and  they  acknowledged  their  risen  Sav- 
iour with  feelings  which  no  words  could  express. 

Thomas  was  not  with  them  at  this  meeting.  He 
refused  to  believe  the  reports  in  regard  to  the  resur- 
rection. But  after  eight  days  Jesus  appeared  to  the 
disciples  again  when  Thomas  was  present. 

On  this  occasion  Jesus  showed  the  signs  of  his 
death  in  his  hands  and  fe6t.  Thomas  was  at  once 
convinced,  and  cried  :  — 

*'My  Lord  and  my  God."' 

*  Luke  24  :  36.  *  John  20  :  28. 


i 


T^bis  Same  Jesud. 


^IFE  work  of  the  Saviour  on 
earth  was  finished.  The  time 
had  now  come  for  him  to  re- 
turn to  his  heavenly  home. 
He  had  overcome,  and  was 
again  about  to  take  his  place 
by  the  side  of  his  Father  upon 
his  throne  of  light  and  glory. 
Jesus  selected  the  Mount 
of  Olives  as  the  place  of  his 
ascension.  Accompanied  by 
the  eleven,  he  made  his  way 
to  the  mountain.  But  the 
disciples  were  not  aware  that  this  was  their  last  season 
with  the  Master.  As  they  walked,  the  Saviour  gave 
them  their  last  instructions.  Just  before  leaving  them, 
he  made  that  precious  promise  so  dear  to  every  fol- 
lower  of  Jesus  :  — 

"  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world."  ^ 

They  crossed  the  summit,  to  the  vicinity  of  Bethany. 
Here    they    paused    and    gathered    about    their    Lord. 


qiqner 


»Matthew28:20, 


[153] 


154  THIS   SAME   JESUS. 

Beams  of  light  seemed  to  radiate  from  his  countenance 
as  he  looked  with  love  upon  them.  Words  of  the 
deepest  tenderness  were  the  last  which  fell  upon  their 
ears  from  the  lips  of  the  Saviour. 

With  hands  outstretched  in  blessing,  he  slowly 
ascended  from  among  them.  As  he  passed  upward, 
the  awestruck  disciples  looked  with  straining  eyes  for 
the  last  glimpse  of  their  ascending  Lord.  A  cloud  of 
glory  received  him  out  of  their  sight.  At  the  same 
moment  there  floated  down  to  them  the  sweetest  and 
most     joyous    music    from    the    angel  choir. 

While  the  disciples  were  still  gazing  upward,  voices 
addressed  them  which  sounded  like  richest  music.  They 
turned,  and  saw  two  angels  in  the  form  of  men,  who 
spoke  to  them,  saying  :  — 

"  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into 
heaven  ?  this  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from 
you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye 
have  seen  him  go  into  heaven."^ 

These  angels  belonged  to  the  company  that  had 
come  to  escort  the  Saviour  on  his  way  to  his  heavenlv 
home.  In  sympathy  and  love  for  those  left  below, 
they  had  stayed  to  assure  them  that  this  separation 
would  not  be  forever. 

Jesus  had  promised  to  come  again,  for  he  said :  — 

"Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled;  ye  believe  in 
God,  believe  also  in  me.  In  my  Father's  house  are 
many  mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told 

«Actsl  :11. 


THIS   SAME  JESUS.  155 

you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I 
go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again, 
and  receive  you  unto  myself  ;  that  where  I  am,  there 
ye  may  be  also."^ 

The  angels  declared  to  the  disciples  that  Jesus  will 
' '  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go 
into  heaven."  He  ascended  bodily,  and  they  saw  him 
as  he  left  them  and  was  received  by  the  cloud.  He 
will  return  on  a  great  white  cloud,  and  ''  every  eye 
shall  see  him." 

Enoch  testified,  ''Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  with 
ten  thousand  of  his  saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon 
all."* 

Isaiah  prophesied  that  the  righteous  will  proclaim 
at  his  coming,  "Lo,  this  is  our  God;  we  have  waited 
for  him,  and  he  will  save  Us." 

Paul,  describing  the  same  scene,  said  :  — 

' '  For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God  ;  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall 
rise  first: 

"Then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be 
caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air  ;  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with 
the  Lord."^ 

Thus  will  our  Saviour  come  to  earth  to  take  to 
himself  forever  those  who  have  been  loyal  to  him. 

«John  14  : 1-3.  *.Tude  14.  ^l  Thessalonians  4  :  16,  17. 


T^beii^  ^soended  C^rd 


HEN  the  disciples  returned  to 
Jerusalem  alone,  the  people  ex- 
pected to  see  in  their  faces  ex- 
pressions of  sorrow  and  defeat. 
Instead  of  this,  they  beheld  only 
gladness  and  triumph. 

The  disciples  did  not  mourn 
over  disappointed  hopes,  but  were 
constantly  in  the  temple,  praising 
God.  The  priests  and  rulers 
were  at  a  loss  to  understand 
this  mystery. 

After  the  trial  and  crucifixion  of  their  Master,  it 
was  expected  that  the  disciples  would  appear  defeated 
and  ashamed.  But  they  came  forth  joyously,  their 
faces  aglow  with  a  happiness  not  of  earth. 

They  told  the  wonderful  story  of  the  glorious 
resurrection  of  Christ  and  his  ascension  to  heaven, 
and  many  believed  their  testimony.  They  had  no 
longer  any  distrust  of  the  future. 

They  knew  that  Jesus  was  in  heaven ;  that  his 
sympathies  were  still  with  them  ;   that   he  was  plead- 

[156] 


THEIR  ASCENDED  LORD. 


157 


ing  with  God  the  merits  of  his  blood.  He  was  show- 
ing to  the  Father  his  wounded  hands  and  feet,  as  an 
evidence  of  the  price  he  had  paid  for  his  redeemed. 
They  knew  that  he  would  come  again,  with  all 
the  holy  angels  with  him, 
and    they    looked    for    this 


L.^  ji--^  yo\Jr  ^]e^^d5,  0  _ye 
W'f!IT^^i^ie,s,-d.ri6  t\\e  K'\nj  of  Glory 

When  he  passed  from  their 

sight    on    the   Mount   of 

Olives,  he  was  met  by  a 

heavenly  host,  who,  with    songs  of   joy   and    triumph, 

escorted  him  upward. 

At  the  portals  of  the  city  of  God  an  innumerable 
company  of  angels  await  his  coming.  As  they  ap- 
proach the  gates,  the  angels  who  are  escorting  the 
Saviour,  in  triumphant  tones  address  the  company  at 
the  portals  :  — 

"  Lift  tip  your  heads,  O  ye  gates; 
And  be  ye  lift  up,  ye  everlasting  doors; 
And  the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in. ' ' 


158  .        THEIR  ASCENDED   LORD. 

The  waiting  angels  at  the  gates  inquire :  — 

"  Who  is  this  King  of  glory  ?  " 

The  escorting  angels  reply  in  songs  of  triumph  :  — 

"The  Lord,  strong  and  mighty, 
The  Lord,  mighty  in  battle. 
Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates; 
Even  lift  them  up,  ye  everlasting  doors; 
And  the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in. ' ' 

Again  the  waiting  angels  ask :  — 

"Who  is  this  King  of  glory ? " 

The  escorting  angels  reply  in  melodious  strains  :  — 
"The  Lord  of  hosts. 
He  is  the  King  of  glory. ' '  ^ 

Then  the  portals  of  the  city  of  God  are  opened 
wide,  and  the  angelic  throng  sweep  through  the  gates 
amid  a  burst  of  rapturous  music.  All  the  heavenly 
host  surround  their  returned  Commander  as  he  takes 
his  place  upon  the  throne  of  the  Father. 

With  adoration  and  joy,  the  angels  bow  before  him, 
while  the  glad  shout  fills  all  the  courts  of  heaven  :  — 

*' Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive 
power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor, 
and  glory,  and  blessing."^ 

The  Son  of  God  has  triumphed  over  the  prince  of 
darkness,  and  conquered  death  and  the  grave.  Heaven 
rings  with  voices  in  lofty  strains  proclaiming  :  — 

*'  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be 
unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb  for  ever  and  ever."  ^ 

»  Psalms  24  : 7-10.  «  Revelation  5  :  12.  '  Revelation  5  :  13. 


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